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Cedar City council advances proposal to relax driveway width limits, pauses curb overhaul for more study
Summary
Councilors agreed to move forward with a proposal that would allow wider residential driveways in the RE zone (up to 33% of frontage, max 50 feet) and to update engineering detail C3 for ADA‑compliant driveway approaches, but tabled parts of the curb/gutter standard to study drainage and slope impacts.
Councilors on Monday voted to move an ordinance change and companion engineering‑standard updates to next week—or formal action after lengthy discussion about safety, drainage and neighborhood character.
The proposed ordinance would retain the existing 34‑foot maximum curb cut but allow wider driveways in the Residential Estates (RE) zone up to 33% of a lot—rontage with a hard cap of 50 feet. City engineer staff said the planning commission recommended that mixed, percentage‑based approach so small lots remain limited while larger lots could have wider curb cuts.
Supporters at the meeting said many homes with RVs, four‑car garages or detached accessory buildings are difficult to access with a 34‑foot cut. “We have folks trying to pack an RV into an RV garage from a side angle — it—an be almost impossible,” public commenter Tom Jet said during the hearing. Staff also said the change is intended to lessen the need for residents to drive over curbs and lawns while providing better access for oversized vehicles and trailers.
Opponents and several councilors raised concerns about drainage capacity, snow storage, sidewalk and curb impacts, and the visual effect of wider concrete frontages. City engineering principal Don Bedro warned that longer driveways and different curb profiles can trap sediment in low‑slope areas and increase storm‑drain needs; another resident noted that driveways that replace landscaping reduce green space and can change neighborhood character.
Because the driveway width and the curb/gutter and driveway approach standards are interrelated, council split the items: it will carry the RE‑zone width change and the C3 driveway approach amendments forward to the action agenda next week, but tabled the broader curb‑face (roll/modified curb) changes for more analysis on storm‑drain capacity and construction cost. Staff said the C3 detail will be updated to reference APWA drawings and to allow several approach detail options, some requiring city engineer approval.
What happens next: the council instructed staff to bring back a clean ordinance and matching engineering detail language reflecting the 33%/50‑foot approach, plus additional analysis of drainage and ADA triggers for existing properties when driveways are replaced. The council lso asked staff to clarify how the standard would be triggered on retrofit projects and whether setbacks need adjusting to meet new approach profiles.
