Spanish Fork approves 45 townhomes on former wrecking yard site

The Spanish Fork City Council voted 3-0 on Oct. 20 to approve a general plan amendment, a zone change and a preliminary plat for Ridgeline Townhomes, a 45-unit development on a site of just under 4 acres that the developer says is contaminated from a former wrecking yard. Voting yes were Jesse Cardon, Shane Marshall and Stacy Beck. ^[1]

City planner Dave Anderson told the council the site sits at the southwest corner of Spanish Fork Parkway and State Road 51, just south of the Ridgeline apartments. The land use map would change to high density residential, and the zoning from Commercial-2 to Residential-3 with a master planned development overlay. The plan includes a vehicle connection to the apartments to the north. Townhomes would face the highway behind landscaping and a fence. ^[1]

The development review committee and the Planning Commission recommended approval. Anderson said that, as he recalled, one planning commissioner voted against the preliminary plat over parking. The plan provides about 2.6 spaces per unit, above the city's standard of 2.5. ^[1]

Developer representative Brandon Dennison said the site is the old Anderson wrecking yard, which he first looked at in 2021. He said the state approved a remedial action plan at the end of 2025. It calls for removing and disposing of contaminated soil, testing the remaining soil, and installing a vapor barrier under every home. He said the cleanup cannot begin until the zoning and preliminary plat are approved. ^[1]

Dennison also said the site was designated mixed use in 2024, and the city's general plan update this summer changed it to business park. ^[1]

In other action the same night, the council voted 3-0 on a commercial zone change for Nelson Commercial, about three acres near Main Street and Woodland Hills Drive. It voted 3-0 on a general plan amendment and zone change for Shady Oaks, an event center, with conditions on fencing and at least 64 parking stalls ^[3]. It also voted 3-0 on an ordinance amendment on the planning commission. ^[1]

The city has not posted minutes for the Oct. 20 meeting, so this report relies on the meeting video. It will be checked against the minutes when they are posted.