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Commission backs code change to require places of worship to meet Midway's Swiss‑European design standards
Summary
The Midway City Planning Commission recommended that City Council amend Section 16.13.370.A to replace 'churches' with 'places of worship,' subjecting new religious buildings and substantial alterations to the city's Swiss‑European commercial and resort architectural requirements; the change is not retroactive and will be reviewed by the Visual and Architectural Committee.
MIDWAY, Utah — The Midway City Planning Commission on March 10 voted to recommend a code text amendment that would require places of worship to meet the city’s Swiss‑European architectural standards used for commercial and resort buildings.
Under the proposed change to Section 16.13.370.A, the word "churches" would be replaced with the broader term "places of worship," ensuring that new religious buildings and substantial remodels are reviewed for consistency with Midway’s adopted architectural theme. Planning staff told commissioners that review would be handled by the Visual and Architectural Committee, consistent with the process used for other buildings subject to the standards.
"I'll make a motion that we recommend for approval code text amendment to Section 16.13.370.A Commercial and Resort Architectural Requirements, understanding that we change the language from churches to places of worship with staff's possible findings," Commissioner Craig Knight said when moving approval. Commissioner Suellen Winegar seconded the motion.
Staff noted that most existing churches in Midway already incorporate Swiss or European elements but that one recently approved church did not; the amendment would apply prospectively to new construction and to substantial alterations or remodels and would not apply retroactively to projects already vested under current law. The commission’s staff report said the change supports the Midway General Plan vision of maintaining the community’s architectural character.
The motion passed with aye votes from Commissioners Knight, Winegar, Lineback, Facer, Probst and Dougherty; no commissioners voted against the recommendation. The commission forwarded the recommendation to the City Council for final action.
