Dozens of residents push back on citywide rezoning, code rewrite and general plan at planning commission hearing
February 4, 2026, 6:30 p.m. · American Fork City Hall, 31 N. Church St.
More than 40 people spoke during three public hearings on American Fork's proposed rewrite of its development code (Titles 15 and 17), new general plan and new citywide zoning map, a meeting that ran until nearly 9 p.m. Speakers objected to folding R1-9000 neighborhoods into R1-7500, shrinking RA-1 agricultural zoning, rezoning farmland north of the cemetery to Public Facilities, Shoreline Protection zoning on private land near the Boat Harbor, a 36-foot height cap on industrial buildings, and turning homes on 300 North into professional office. The commission took no vote on the proposals and re-elected Christine Anderson chair and Chris Christiansen vice chair.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Recodification of Titles 15 and 17 (development code rewrite) | Pending |
| General plan update | Pending |
| Citywide zoning map update | Pending |
| Election of chair and vice chair | Approved · 7-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 4a · City code
Recodification of Titles 15 and 17 (development code rewrite)
Pending
Public hearing on the 18-month rewrite of the city's land use and development code, which consolidates and reorganizes zoning, building and engineering rules and updates them to state law. Chair Christine Anderson said every property owner was notified and comments would be compiled for staff, the commission and the City Council. No recommendation vote was taken.
- Hearing only; no vote
- Consultant/attorney: Cherylyn Egner (per Feb. 3 joint session)
- Draft proposals discussed: fold R1-9000 into R1-7500, 36-ft industrial height limit, new setbacks, sexually oriented business zoning, elimination of inner-block cottage code
Item 4b · General plan
General plan update
Pending
Public hearing on a full update of the American Fork General Plan setting a new vision for growth. No vote was taken.
- Hearing only; no vote
Item 4c · Zoning
Citywide zoning map update
Pending
Public hearing, with Class A notice, on a new zoning map aligning zone classifications with the proposed general plan land uses and new code. No vote was taken.
- Hearing only; no vote
- Proposals residents cited: RA-1 to PF north of cemetery (~23 acres), Shoreline Protection near Boat Harbor Road, 100 North commercial to R-4, 300 North to professional office, Spring Creek TOD to RA-5
Item 5a · Appointment
Election of chair and vice chair
Approved · 7-0
Christine Anderson was re-elected chair and Chris Christiansen vice chair.
- Chair: Christine Anderson (7-0, Martin/Oldham)
- Vice chair: Chris Christiansen (7-0, Martin/Dudley)
What residents said
Downzoning R1-9000 to R1-7500 / added densityLoss of RA-1 agricultural zoning and animal rightsFarmland north of cemetery rezoned to Public FacilitiesShoreline Protection zoning on private land36-foot industrial height limit300 North homes rezoned to professional officeHospital-area roads routing traffic to 300 North200 South widening and Greenwood Elementary safetyLack of notice to property ownersDownzoning of Green family land near 200 South and Mill Pond RoadProposed $3 million 100 East-200 East connector roadStreet maintenanceTraffic on 300 West, 330 South and 500 East/1100 SouthLoss of wetlands and farmland in southwest American ForkADU rulesSide and corner setbacks
Code hearing: Cory Aitchison opposed using zoning to effectively ban sexually oriented businesses. Justin Warner, Kendall Pearson and Amy Neil opposed converting R1-9000 areas (including near American Fork High and the 'sheep fields') to R1-7500. Rob McNeil asked to keep the inner-block cottage code. Dr. Joseph Little said all owners on the north side of 100 North between 100 East and Center Street oppose changing their commercial zoning to R-4. Garrett Price, Steve Price, Ryan Naylor and Mark Robinson opposed a 36-foot industrial height limit, saying modern warehouses need up to 40 feet. Michael Peterson, Reid Shelley, Gregg Lybbert and JD Deveraux opposed reducing RA-1 zoning and animal rights; Deveraux objected to rezoning his RA-1 land near the cemetery to PF. Amber Abel asked that her agricultural property, used for FFA projects, not be rezoned. Toye Edmondson objected to new side and corner setbacks. Carol Bell opposed rezoning 300 North homes to professional office and new hospital-area roads that would push traffic onto 300 North. Michael Jordan and William Handley raised safety on 200 South near Greenwood Elementary and the planned widening. Shannon Magleby and Wendy Heater asked for looser ADU rules. Ted Frandsen said 19.5 acres of his family's 100 acres on Boat Harbor Road were wrongly shown as Shoreline Protection. Bo Bahoravitch urged police and fire input. Stewart Harman, for Bach Homes and four related companies, said owners got no notice and objected to a Spring Creek TOD parcel being shown as RA-5. Christine Wilkinson opposed a three-story building at 300 North and County Boulevard near Dan Peterson and Perry schools. Trent Barben asked that his duplex cul-de-sac at 560 E. 620 North stay R-2. Cody Jarrett proposed a live-work pilot on East Quality Drive near Lake City Row. Tony Blanco cited congestion near 500 East and 1100 South; Rod Matani mourned lost wetlands and monarch habitat. General plan hearing: Gary Gibb asked for improvements to 1340 North by Legacy Elementary and downtown arts space; Amber Lamph said her family's working farm in the southwest corner was mislabeled vacant and asked that Spring Creek wetlands be protected; Rob McNeil backed detached ADUs; members of the Jess Green Descendants Trust (Jennifer Green Delliskave, Jess Green, Jared Green, Shawn Delliskave) opposed downzoning family land near 200 South and Mill Pond Road, alleged spot zoning, cited a state Property Rights Ombudsman finding and said they would file a complaint with the State Auditor. Zoning map hearing: Steve Phelon objected to 20 of his 26 acres being proposed as shoreline protection; Jim Olson and Brian Brown opposed rezoning about 23 acres of farm and ranch land north of the cemetery from RA-1 to PF; Elizabeth Phelon defended her family's I-1 land; Pharis Blackhurst questioned roads planned on land outside city limits; Brian Johnson (624 W. 330 South) cited speeding into the Fed Farms development and asked the city to keep low density west of the freeway; Glenda Ferran cited congestion on 300 West; Janeen Ledkins questioned high density, developer incentives and city financial transparency; Jill Barney, Steven Christiansen, Paul Christianson and Curtis Graham worried about density, emergency access, unbuilt bridges and historic homes near Main Street; Wes Hancock and Matt Bishop cited poor street maintenance, storm drain fees, livestock rights and train/roundabout traffic on 330 South (City Administrator David Bunker said Bishop's animals would be grandfathered); Ryan and Sarah Hardman (742 N. 100 East) opposed a roughly $3 million one-block connector road between 100 East and 200 East and said repeated city attempts to buy their land felt like harassment; Chase Maxfield asked for bike and e-bike facilities; Kirk Magleby asked for benchmarks against neighboring cities.