Enoch Council weighs developer’s request to tie housing ratio to ‘developed lots’ in 698‑unit Pinion Springs plan

Enoch City Council on March 18 discussed a development agreement for Pinion Springs, a proposed subdivision that would add 698 dwelling units — about a 26% increase over the city’s current housing stock, City Manager Ryan Robinson said. Mayor Jim Rushton and council members focused on how the project would be phased, where parks and open space would be placed, and how many road entrances the development must provide.

Sam Woodall, representing DGP LLC (the developer), told the council the company had agreed to the city’s three‑to‑one requirement — three single‑family lots for every high‑density unit — but asked that the requirement be tied to ‘‘developed lots’’ with full infrastructure (roads, water, sewer and utilities) rather than to building permits and occupancy certificates. Woodall said tying the ratio to occupancy could stall later phases if individual lot buyers delay construction even though the developer had completed and sold other units; by contrast, tying the ratio to lots that are developed with infrastructure would let the market determine construction timing while ensuring the required lot mix.

Mayor Jim Rushton said he was not opposed in principle but asked city engineers to review the proposal. City Attorney Justin Wayment and Robinson noted the master plan agreement still must be finalized and that engineering review would be required before any final approval.

Council Member Kimberlee Trower and others pressed about parks and open space. Trower asked whether green areas between high‑density pods would be accessible to all subdivision residents or limited to the townhome pods; Woodall and the mayor said the original concept reserved some pod spaces for specific buildings and that townhome areas would likely have separate homeowner associations (HOAs). Trower argued for at least one playground‑style park within the subdivision to serve families with young children; several council members said collecting park impact fees and using city‑owned land for a park might be preferable to accepting developer‑provided pocket parks in awkward locations.

Traffic and emergency access also drew scrutiny. Robinson said city code currently requires two entrances once a development exceeds roughly 80 units; the developer would work with UDOT for Minersville Highway access if Pineview access was unavailable. Council Member David Harris raised safety concerns about relying on only two access points for 600–700 homes and indicated he wants the council to pursue an ordinance amendment to require a third entrance at a higher threshold (he later suggested 400 homes).

Council members and the developer discussed other details: the subdivision’s overall density (about 3.02 units per acre), eight high‑density buildings, and single‑family lots described in the materials as roughly 18,000 square feet (about one‑third to one‑half acre). Robinson and Wayment emphasized that, as a major subdivision, Pinion Springs would be required to meet city infrastructure standards (including curb and gutter) and that any item not explicitly addressed in the agreement would default to existing city code.

No final vote was taken. City Attorney Wayment noted he will be traveling and that outstanding topics — the master plan, engineering review of the developer’s phasing proposal and any ordinance changes regarding access thresholds — should be resolved before the council votes at a subsequent meeting.