Planning commission backs adding ‘medical clinic’ to C5 zone to allow New Hope Pregnancy Center expansion

The Moab City Planning Commission on June 11 voted to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council to amend the C5 neighborhood commercial zone to include “medical clinic” as a permitted use, a change put forward by the New Hope Pregnancy Center.

City planner Johanna Blanco summarized the proposed text amendment for the parcel at 250 South 400 East and read the municipal-code definition of “medical clinic,” which staff described as outpatient treatment provided by physicians, dentists or other medical personnel where treatment requires a stay of less than 12 hours. Community development staff Corey Shle told commissioners, “it was my interpretation this was an unintentional omission of a particular use,” and recommended the commission advance the amendment.

The applicant, Chrissy Applegate, who submitted the application on behalf of the property owner, attended and declined to add remarks beyond the written narrative submitted in the packet. No written public comments or speakers from the public were recorded during the open hearing. After brief discussion, a commissioner moved to forward a recommendation for City Ordinance 2026-11; the motion carried on a voice vote recorded as 3-0.

Why it matters: Staff framed the change as corrective—bringing the ordinance language into alignment with existing, customary neighborhood commercial uses in that area—and said it would avoid forcing applicants into awkward use classifications. The amendment would make it simpler for nonprofit health providers such as the New Hope Pregnancy Center to expand services without requiring a separate rezoning or conditional-use process.

Next steps: The matter will move to the Moab City Council for consideration of Ordinance 2026-11. The Planning Commission closed the public hearing the same evening and did not record any public opposition or conditions attached to its recommendation.