Commissioners press for street‑level renderings, exact heights as developers seek exceptions to 35‑ft limit

Commissioners focused intensive questioning on the applicant’s request for height exceptions for six of the seven buildings, and asked for clearer visualizations and numeric measurements to evaluate view impacts.

"There were four reasons that we asked for the height exception," architect Joel Jennings explained during the presentation, listing taller commercial first floors, apartment ceiling heights, sloping topography and gabled architectural elements as the drivers of the variance. The team said a 16‑foot ground‑floor commercial height plus typical apartment floor heights can push a mixed‑use building over the 35‑foot cap.

Commissioner Frontero asked for street‑level renderings and a simple, per‑building measurement showing how many feet each building exceeds the zone limit. "For next meeting with regard to building height, I'd like to see renderings from street level, along Bonanza, along Kearns, and along Munchkin," Frontero said, adding that commissioners want visuals that show the visual effect on views and whether a 'tunnel effect' would be created. Several commissioners reiterated the need for numbers—exact deltas above 35 feet for each building—and internal‑space visuals for the central open space, which is one of the justifications for the exception.

Staff and the applicant agreed to provide the elevations, the arithmetic behind the volumetrics exhibit (referred to as the "jello mold"), and street‑level renderings for the July 8 public hearing. The commission did not take a formal vote on heights at this meeting; it requested the supplemental exhibits to judge whether the design meets LMC master‑plan and conditional‑use criteria.