Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Midway Council approves church conditional use permit at Michie Lane and adopts ordinance clarifying churches as conditional use
Summary
The Council approved a conditional use permit for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints at 171 East Michie Lane with engineering and design conditions and adopted Ordinance 2026‑08 to make churches a conditional use in the RA‑1‑43 zone. The motions passed unanimously.
The Midway City Council on March 3 approved a conditional use permit for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints to build a stake center at 171 East Michie Lane and adopted Ordinance 2026‑08 to clarify that churches are conditional uses in the RA‑1‑43 residential‑agricultural zone.
Planning Director Michael Henke presented the CUP application and noted site plan details, parking, setbacks and that the proposed steeple exceeded the city height limit. Applicant representative Andrew Wealing told the Council the building had been moved about 100 feet west to ease impacts to a neighboring home and that the applicant did not intend to implement Swiss architecture at this time. Public commenters included David Scott, who said he supported the proposal, Rod Frendenberg, who asked whether trails had been considered, and Doug Jones, who raised traffic and future school‑traffic concerns.
The Council approved the CUP subject to engineering approval and the following key conditions: final construction drawings must show a steeple no taller than 70 feet measured from natural grade (the submitted design measured 71 feet 2 inches), all Michie Lane modifications must be approved by the City Engineer and paid for by the applicant, all lighting must comply with Midway’s dark‑sky requirements, and opaque fencing should be installed to reduce headlight impacts on nearby properties. Council also strongly recommended that Swiss architecture be considered, but did not make it a code requirement for this permit.
Separately, the Council adopted Ordinance 2026‑08 to remove contradictory language in Section 16.12.020.G of the Midway Municipal Code and make churches a conditional use in the RA‑1‑43 zone, aligning that zone’s treatment of churches with other residential zones. The ordinance was presented by Michael Henke and passed unanimously. Mayor Craig Simons said he planned to write to the applicant requesting Swiss architecture and asked Council members to sign the letter.
The Council noted that any future school development on the adjacent remainder property would require full access and traffic review; Planning staff said a traffic study would be required if a school application were resubmitted and that school districts could pursue eminent domain if necessary.
Votes at a glance: the CUP for 171 East Michie Lane — approved, 5‑0; Ordinance 2026‑08 — adopted, 5‑0.
