Planning commission recommends updated general plan and Chipman annexation, opposes hotel parking cut
August 19, 2026, 6:30 p.m. · American Fork City Hall, 31 N. Church St.
The American Fork Planning Commission unanimously recommended adoption of the city's rewritten general plan, which staff revised after a February hearing that drew about 350 people, and recommended the roughly 24-acre Chipman and Stake Center #2 annexation near 100 West 700 South with PR-3.0 zoning limited to single-family detached homes. Commissioners voted 5-2 to recommend denial of a request to let a planned 122-room Woodspring Suites hotel at 714 S. 600 East build 129 parking stalls instead of the required 153. They also unanimously denied a request to allow an auto dealership in a GC-1 zoned unit at 105 S. 700 East.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Lone Automotive dealership request, 105 S. 700 East Unit E | Denied · 7-0 |
| American Fork Hotel parking reduction, 714 S. 600 East | Recommended for denial · 5-2 |
| Chipman and Stake Center #2 annexation and PR-3.0 zoning, about 100 W. 700 South | Recommended for approval · 7-0 |
| American Fork General Plan update | Recommended for approval · 7-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 5a · Development
Lone Automotive dealership request, 105 S. 700 East Unit E
Denied · 7-0
Applicant Tristan Walker, who runs a car-wrapping business in the unit, asked the commission to find that an auto dealership is similar to permitted uses in the GC-1 General Commercial zone, where dealerships are not listed. The item had been tabled April 22, 2026. Development Services Director Patrick O'Brien urged denial, saying dealerships belong in the GC-2 zone fronting arterials, that the city is pursuing a rezone of the gateway area through its code rewrite, and that approving it would set a precedent pushing such uses toward residential neighbors at the back of blocks. Commissioners Chris Christiansen, Rodney Martin and Claire Oldham cited the shared, limited parking at the building; staff said code requires three stalls per 1,000 square feet of sales space plus four per service bay. The commission denied the request.
- Applicant: Tristan Walker (Lone Automotive)
- Zone: GC-1 General Commercial
- Request: similar-use determination under Section 17.4.402(B)(12)
- Previously tabled April 22, 2026
- Staff recommendation: deny; pursue future GC-2 rezoning instead
Item 5b · Development
American Fork Hotel parking reduction, 714 S. 600 East
Recommended for denial · 5-2
TGC Group, represented by Blake Heiman and Boyd Preece, asked for a parking reduction under Section 17.5.133(D) for a 122-room Woodspring Suites extended-stay hotel aimed at traveling workers, proposing 129 stalls (1.06 per room) instead of the 153 required (1.25 per room). The site, in the GC-2 zone, would be created through a boundary adjustment with neighboring landowner Woodbury; Heiman said the company's 41 hotels in 23 states run 0.7 to 1.2 stalls per room and about 75% occupancy, and that the project is a $15-16 million investment. Commissioner Rodney Martin noted the neighboring Holiday Inn has 120 stalls for 80 rooms and warned of overflow onto neighbors; Commissioners Geoff Dupaix and Harold Dudley floated a compromise. A motion by Commissioner David Bird to recommend approval failed 3-4, and the commission then voted 5-2 to recommend denial. If approved, the applicant must submit a traffic impact study. The City Council later approved the reduction 5-0 on Sept. 8, according to the American Fork Citizen.
- BudgetAmount not given to TGC Group
- Applicant: TGC Group (Blake Heiman, Boyd Preece)
- Brand: Woodspring Suites
- Rooms: 122
- Parking proposed: 129 stalls (1.06/room); code requires 153 (1.25/room)
- Zone: GC-2 (map still showed PF-1 pending update)
- First motion to recommend approval (Bird/Dupaix) failed 3-4: yes Anderson, Bird, Dupaix; no Christiansen, Martin, Oldham, Dudley
- Condition if approved: traffic impact study
- Council approved reduction 5-0 on Sept. 8 (American Fork Citizen)
Item 4a/5c · Annexation
Chipman and Stake Center #2 annexation and PR-3.0 zoning, about 100 W. 700 South
Recommended for approval · 7-0
About 24 acres of unincorporated land near 100 West 700 South, including the Chipman parcels, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints property where a meetinghouse is proposed, city-owned land and an extension of 700 South, would be annexed and zoned PR-3.0 (planned residential). Applicants are Devin Chipman, Mike Davey and American Fork City. Patrick O'Brien said the annexation agreement, including a sale of city-owned parcels to Leroy Love and Devin Chipman with right-of-way dedications, is largely settled; the agreement limits development to single-family detached homes with no additional density, though homes may be clustered because of the American Fork River and unusable land east of it. Surrounding land is low-density residential. No one spoke at the hearing. The City Council approved the annexation 5-0 on Sept. 8, according to the American Fork Citizen.
- Land deal$1.40 million to LeRoy Love and Devin Chipman
- Applicants: Devin Chipman, Mike Davey, American Fork City
- Acres: about 24
- Current: unincorporated (county) → proposed PR-3.0
- Use limit: single-family detached homes only, per annexation agreement
- Includes proposed LDS meetinghouse and 700 South extension
- Public hearing: no comments
- Council approved annexation 5-0 Sept. 8 (American Fork Citizen)
- Related: city land sale for $1.4 million to LeRoy Love and Devin Chipman approved by council Sept. 8 (American Fork Citizen)
Item 4b/5d · General plan
American Fork General Plan update
Recommended for approval · 7-0
Patrick O'Brien presented the rewritten general plan, in the works since spring 2024 and 85% funded by the Mountainland Association of Governments. After a February hearing drew about 350 people focused on the land-use map, staff aligned the map with existing zoning citywide and scaled back proposed changes, with remaining shifts around the Boat Harbor commercial area and eastern (State Street) and northern (temple/Developmental Center) gateways. The plan has seven elements: land use, multimodal transportation, moderate-income housing, development focus areas, parks/open space/trails, public facilities and water, and historic preservation, plus an implementation strategy; the city's population is estimated at 41,000-46,000. Commissioner Geoff Dupaix pressed for better east-west road connectivity and a firmer stance with the railroad. The City Council adopted the plan 5-0 on Sept. 8, according to the American Fork Citizen.
- Grant$162,222
- Prepared by: city staff with MAG funding (85%)
- Seven elements including state-required water use and moderate-income housing
- Planning horizon: 10-20 years; review about every five years
- Council adopted 5-0 Sept. 8 (American Fork Citizen)
What residents said
Parking supply in transit-oriented development zonesLimited FrontRunner transit service
Elizabeth Phelon of ESP Excavation thanked the commission for revisiting the proposed zoning changes, saying only two major changes remain and neither affects her business. At the general plan hearing, Jeffrey Huffman, who said he supports transit and is moving to the area, asked the city to allow more than the 1.5 parking spaces per unit required in transit-oriented development zones because FrontRunner service is limited, and said he would pay for extra parking. No one spoke on the Chipman annexation.