Planning commission overrules staff, lets Lawn Thumbs landscaping business stay downtown
January 22, 2025, 6:00 p.m. · American Fork City Hall, 31 N. Church St.
Over staff's objection and Chair Christine Anderson's no vote, the American Fork Planning Commission ruled 5-1 that a landscape maintenance business, Lawn Thumbs, is similar enough to uses allowed in the downtown CC-1 zone to keep operating at 120 N. Grant Ave. It also recommended GC-2 commercial zoning for the 1.52-acre Jes and Claire Scott annexation at about 305 E. 620 South.
From the approved minutes.
In brief
2 items came up for a decision or discussion: 1 approved with conditions and 1 recommended for approval.
1 vote was not unanimous: Lawn Thumbs use determination, 120 N. Grant Ave. (0.48 acres) (5-1).
4 items here are tracked in the city's development tracker.
This write-up links 2 source documents.
6 members were present and 1 absent (Commissioner Geoff Dupaix).
The previous Planning Commission meeting was on January 8, 2025: Planning commission backs TOD zoning near FrontRunner on former city landfill, ground-floor retail rule downtown
The next one was on February 5, 2025: Planning commission recommends PR-3.0 zoning for Chipman and Stake Center annexation at 700 South
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Lawn Thumbs use determination, 120 N. Grant Ave. (0.48 acres) | Approved with conditions · 5-1 |
| Jes and Claire Scott annexation zoning, about 305 E. 620 South (1.52 acres) | Recommended for approval · 6-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 4a · Zoning
Lawn Thumbs use determination, 120 N. Grant Ave. (0.48 acres)
Approved with conditions · 5-1
Request under 17.4.401(B)(17) to find a landscaping maintenance business similar to and in harmony with the CC-1 Central Commercial zone. Development Services Director Patrick O'Brien said staff could not issue a business license because the use is not listed and asked commissioners to judge it against the zone's intent as the downtown 'heart of the city.' Owner Freddy Zahn said he took over another landscaper's lease four years earlier, did not know he needed a license until he bought the property, and offered to make any changes required. Chair Christine Anderson said she would like to keep the business in the city but the use does not fit the zone's intent. Commissioners David Bird, Harold Dudley, Chris Christiansen, Bruce Frandsen and Rod Martin compared it to lumber yards, heating companies and nearby storage and trucking uses and called it a service use; Martin questioned whether the chair's opening explanation of procedures signaled an outside agenda, which Anderson denied. Approved subject to staff conditions; the property returned Dec. 17, 2025 for a site plan.
- Owner: Freddy Zahn
- Acres: 0.48
- Zone: CC-1
- Staff position: use not permitted
- No vote: Chair Christine Anderson
Item 4b · Annexation
Jes and Claire Scott annexation zoning, about 305 E. 620 South (1.52 acres)
Recommended for approval · 6-0
Recommendation to assign the GC-2 Planned Commercial zone to land being annexed; O'Brien said the annexation agreement sets development standards and the commission's role is to check that the zone fits the land use designation.
- Applicants: Jes and Claire Scott
- Acres: 1.52
- Proposed zone: GC-2
Item Other · Presentation
General plan and station area plan update
Discussed
O'Brien thanked commissioners who attended the general plan meeting the night before and asked for comments by Feb. 10.
What residents said
Owner Freddy Zahn and landscape designer Rachel Derricott spoke for Lawn Thumbs.