Oquirrh Wood Ranch team updates Planning Commission; water rights and road widths remain key issues

Representatives for Oquirrh Wood Ranch updated the Planning Commission July 29 on a major redesign of the project that will use the proposed Site‑Specific Development (SSD) framework. Jared Westhoff said the project was divided into three primary components — business park, ranch units, and commercial area — and that the team is refining project‑specific standards based on the Town’s Technology Overlay Zone.

Mr. Westhoff said the team is continuing to evaluate water use, transportation, and roadway design. While Fairfield’s standard right‑of‑way is 66 feet, the project team proposed wider sections in places (industrial roads of 70–76 feet and a 94‑foot right‑of‑way for 900 North in draft materials) to serve anticipated industrial uses. The team is also considering whether a prospective industrial user may need a 90‑foot air‑cooling tower (the Town’s conditional height maximum had been 80 feet). Mr. Westhoff said the team holds a block of water rights already converted to municipal use but would need to change the point of diversion to utilize them; he said the team would provide water documentation to the Town’s water engineer for verification.

Commissioners asked for verification of water certificates and potential fire‑protection impacts from taller structures (aviation markers, ladder‑truck requirements). Mr. Westhoff said the team aims to return with near‑final drafts for the business park and ranch units by the end of August and an initial commercial area draft.