West Valley council makes Highbury roads public and rezones two sites for industry

The West Valley City Council approved every action item on its Oct. 27 agenda by a 6-0 vote: five council members and the mayor, Karen Lang. Council Member Christensen was excused. The agenda lists three public hearings, six resolutions and four consent items. ^[1][2]

**Highbury development agreement.** Resolution 26-130 replaces a 2008 agreement for about 26.34 acres near 5035 West Lake Park Boulevard. Lang described the new agreement as keeping the same number of homes, 69 townhomes and 89 parkside homes, with updated designs, larger minimum unit sizes and added amenities, including a pool and pickleball courts. Because of groundwater concerns, basements would be limited to homes on the south side of the property. ^[1][2]

At the meeting, Council Member Lars Nordfelt asked staff whether the council could amend the agreement so the neighborhood's private streets become public streets, saying the developer appeared agreeable. City Manager Ifo Pili said the main concern of the public works director is that a public road be built to city standards so the city can maintain it. Nordfelt moved to approve the resolution with an amendment that all of the roads will be public. The roads may be narrower than standard city streets, as the agreement proposed, but the construction quality must meet city standards and inspection. ^[2]

**Two industrial rezones.** The council changed the zoning on 2170 and 2202 South 5600 West from Light Industrial to Manufacturing (Ordinance 26-40, application Z-2-2026, filed by Stuart Development) and approved a development agreement with Stuart Development, LLC for about 13.57 acres there (Resolution 26-129). Lang said the change would allow two industrial buildings totaling about 202,000 square feet. She said the main purpose is more flexibility in the orientation of the loading docks, which the current code restricts. Access would be from Leicester Street, and a conditional use permit is still required. ^[1][2]

In a separate hearing, the council rezoned 6379 West 2501 South from Agriculture, with a half-acre minimum lot size, to Manufacturing (Ordinance 26-41, application Z-3-2026, filed by Norm Dahle). Lang said the applicant intends limited heavy truck parking and outdoor storage for industrial electrical equipment and materials, and that a conditional use permit would address landscaping, surfacing, drainage and other site requirements. ^[1][2]

**Purchases and leases.** Resolution 26-131 buys 850 event chairs for the Utah Cultural Celebration Center for $113,050, replacing seating on the main level that Lang said is about 20 years old. Resolution 26-132 renews the city's lease with PacifiCorp for part of Lot D at the Maverick Center, near 2048 West 3100 South. The city has leased the property since 1997. The new lease is $9,972 a year, rising 3% annually, for five years with three additional five-year renewal options. ^[1][2]

Resolution 26-133 buys the remounting of two existing ambulance patient compartments onto new chassis, from Frazer, LTD., along with two new stretchers and loading systems. Lang said reusing the compartments saves about $248,000 compared with buying new ones, and that the purchase includes three years of maintenance coverage. Resolution 26-135 buys two four-wheel-drive Ford F-550 chassis to replace the chassis of two ambulances that each have more than 160,000 miles; the compartments, which remain in good condition, will be remounted onto them. Resolution 26-134 buys a Ford F-350 for Fire Squad 72, replacing a temporary high-mileage vehicle. Lang said the squad program handles lower-priority medical calls, reducing wear on large fire apparatus. ^[1][2]

**Consent agenda.** Resolutions 26-136 through 26-139 authorize purchase contracts and easements for city projects at 4007 South Jester Drive, 3978 South Pharoah Road, 6949 West 3500 South and 4013 West Westlake Avenue. ^[1][2]

The council also approved Resolution 26-128, the annual Community Development Block Grant performance report, and the minutes of its Oct. 13 meeting. During public comment, which the agenda limits to 30 minutes, speakers, including a Highbury resident and the project's applicant, addressed the Highbury agreement; others spoke about the city's parking citation appeals process, housing policy and code enforcement. ^[1][2]

The agenda does not give a dollar figure for the Frazer remounts, the fire vehicles or the easements. The minutes of the Oct. 27 meeting had not been posted when this report was written, so the roll call is taken from the meeting video. ^[1][2]