Council rejects Walton Lane Townhomes, citing loss of promised commercial
July 25, 2023, 7:00 p.m. · American Fork City Hall, 31 N. Church St.
The council unanimously denied a land use change and rezoning for the Walton Lane Townhomes at 694 S. 860 East after City Administrator David Bunker said the larger development received density credits on the promise of mixed-use commercial that hasn't been built. Five residents said police removed them from Art Dye Park during Steel Days while they gathered signatures for a 'Save the Flag' ballot petition, violating their free-speech rights.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item CC 2-3 · Contract
UTA license for ADA walkway at-grade railroad crossing; payments
Approved · 3-0
Licensing agreement with Utah Transit Authority for an at-grade ADA walkway over the railroad, plus ratification of July 5-18 payments and purchases over $50,000.
- ContractAmount not given to Utah Transit Authority
Item A1-2 · Other
Rockwell Ranch Block 5 trail and drainage easement swap, about 1000 W. 550 South
Approved · 3-0
Ordinance 2023-07-27 vacates the existing trail and drainage easement, conditioned on recording a new pedestrian access easement and separate drainage easement, which the council then accepted.
Item A3 · Zoning
Walton Lane Townhomes land use amendment, 694 S. 860 East, design commercial to planned community
Denied · 3-0
After the planning commission, staff learned the master development received density credits as a mixed-use project, with a share of commercial required alongside residential. The developer considered the Woodbury project the commercial piece; Bunker said it is not walkable commercial and recommended denial. Carroll cited the 'continual erosion of commercial zones'; Hunter said multifamily housing needs services. Barnes's motion to table for a work session died for lack of a second. Developer Buck Swaney said the parcel is zoned industrial and the units are part of already-allotted density. Denial sends it back through the planning commission.
Item A4 · Zoning
Walton Lane Townhomes zone change, PI-1 to PC
Denied · 3-0
Rezoning from Planned Industrial to Planned Community denied.
- Zone: PI-1 → PC (denied)
- Applicant: Buck Swaney; Brighton Homes (Shawn Poor) has property under contract
Item A6 · Other
Closed session on purchase, sale or lease of real property
No action · 3-0
Closed session 8:09-8:33 p.m.; no action reported. (The minutes also show an unlabeled item approved 3-0 on a Hunter/Carroll motion with no title.)
What residents said
Petition signature gatherers removed from Art Dye Park during Steel DaysLoss of commercial land to housing
Natalie Clawson, Stephanie Grant, Jan Eyring, David Christensen and Kristin Richey said signature gatherers for the 'Save the Flag' state ballot petition were told by officers, including a plain-clothes officer, to leave Art Dye Park during Steel Days; they said city code allows signature gathering except on property closed to public access and that their First Amendment rights were violated. Developer Buck Swaney and Shawn Poor of Brighton Homes asked the council to table rather than deny the Walton Lane request. No one spoke at the hearing on the Rockwell Ranch easement vacation.