Planning commission backs commercial designation for Maxwell Square mixed-use project on 100 East despite traffic worries
September 3, 2025, 6:00 p.m. · American Fork City Hall, 31 N. Church St.
Over neighbors' concerns about traffic and parking on 100 East, the American Fork Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend changing the land use designation of 0.93 acres at 148 N. 100 East to General Commercial so developer Bryant Bishop can pursue a five-story, 36-unit mixed-use building. The commission also approved a reception center site plan at 241 W. Main Street, extended the Surg LLC office site plan and recommended shortening site plan approvals from two years to one.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Maxwell Square land use map amendment, 148 N. 100 East (0.93 acres) | Recommended for approval · 5-1 |
| Administrative site plan approvals code amendment (Section 17.6.101) | Recommended for approval · 6-0 |
| Surg LLC office building site plan extension, 1141 E. 50 North | Approved · 6-0 |
| RBD Reception Center site plan, 241 W. Main Street (1.86 acres) | Approved with conditions · 6-0 |
| Meeting time | Discussed |
Agenda, item by item
Item 3a · Zoning
Maxwell Square land use map amendment, 148 N. 100 East (0.93 acres)
Recommended for approval · 5-1
Change of one of three parcels from Residential High Density to General Commercial so all three can be zoned CC-1 for a mixed-use project; two parcels are already CC-1 and the third is R4-7500. The concept is a 55-foot building with 18 one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom units over about 2,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial. City Engineer Ben Hunter said a UDOT pre-application meeting and a railroad diagnostic meeting (required within 1,000 feet of a crossing) had been held. Commissioner Geoff Dupaix voiced skepticism about the viability of ground-floor commercial in American Fork; applicant Bryant Bishop said a destination use such as a salon is likely and that an October retail proposal had to be redesigned after a January code change. Commissioner Claire Oldham, voting no, said mixed use would not work well on the site. A zone change would follow separately.
- Applicant: Bryant Bishop
- Acres: 0.93
- Land use: Residential High Density → General Commercial
- Zoning now: CC-1 (2 parcels), R4-7500 (1 parcel) → CC-1 to follow
- Concept: 36 apartments (18 1-BR, 18 2-BR), ~2,000 sq. ft. commercial, 55 ft tall
- Commissioner Dupaix said no widening of the road is planned for 30 years
Item 3b · City code
Administrative site plan approvals code amendment (Section 17.6.101)
Recommended for approval · 6-0
Revised amendment to the site plan approval process, returned after City Council changes, letting the Development Review Committee approve site plan amendments and shortening a site plan approval's life from two years to one. No public comment.
- Site plan expiration: 2 years → 1 year
Item 4a · Development
Surg LLC office building site plan extension, 1141 E. 50 North
Approved · 6-0
Six-month extension of a PO-1 office site plan set to expire Sept. 26, 2025, two years after approval. Staff said financial constraints, partly from tariffs, delayed the project.
- Acres: 0.60
- Original expiration: Sept. 26, 2025
- Extension: up to 6 months
Item 4b · Development
RBD Reception Center site plan, 241 W. Main Street (1.86 acres)
Approved with conditions · 6-0
Commercial site plan for a reception center on Main Street in the CC-2 zone on two lots owned by the applicant with a shared access and parking agreement; a fire department item is addressed by condition. Ken Berg said both accesses allow in and out; accesses were coordinated with UDOT given the proximity to 300 West.
- Representative: Ken Berg
- Acres: 1.86
- Zone: CC-2
- Shared access and parking agreement between two lots
Item Other · Other
Meeting time
Discussed
Commissioners asked to move meetings from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
What residents said
Traffic on 100 East (UDOT road)Parking overflow into neighboring businessesBuilding height next to single-family homesDriveway safety
At the Maxwell Square hearing, Tom Miller said traffic already backs up from light to light and the area cannot absorb five stories of apartments plus commercial. Renee Rhoton, a 30-year resident, supported commercial zoning as safer and asked that her lot and neighbors' to the north be included, and that the developer improve driveway safety. Brian Larsen, who owns the insurance agency to the south, worried residents would overflow into his parking lot. Howard Adams cited traffic, the building's height among single-family homes, lack of green space, and the danger of backing out of driveways on the busy road.