Council denies Pony Express 27 residential plan, approves transportation impact fee and tables wildlife corridor and recruitment consultant items
March 6, 2024, 4:00 p.m. · Eagle Mountain City Council Chambers, 1650 E Stagecoach Run, Eagle Mountain, Utah
The council unanimously denied a general plan amendment and rezone that would have allowed residential use on about 27.67 acres near Hidden Hollow Elementary, approved an updated transportation impact fee analysis and approved lot line adjustment rules for HB 406 4-0 with one abstention. It tabled the Wildlife Corridor Overlay Zone amendments and a contract for administrator recruitment consultants. Council Member Jared Gray abstained on the consent agenda and the lot line vote without stating a reason.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Pony Express 27 general plan amendment and rezone, denied | Denied · 5-0 |
| Transportation impact fee update | Approved · 5-0 |
| Wildlife Corridor Overlay Zone amendments, EMMC 17.49 | Tabled · 5-0 |
| Lot line adjustment code amendments, EMMC 17.10.030 and 16.50.020-.040 | Approved with conditions · 4-0-1 |
| Recruitment consultants for city administrator | Tabled · 5-0 |
| Wendy's site plan, 4302 Pony Express Parkway | Approved with conditions · 5-0 |
| Consent: right-of-way purchase, used rodeo arena equipment, treasurer appointments, Eagle Vision Building Two | Approved · 4-0-1 |
| Library Advisory Board appointment | Approved · 5-0 |
| Lower Hidden Valley concept plan, Perry Homes (work session) | Discussed |
| Cedar Valley Highway study, UDOT (work session) | Discussed |
Agenda, item by item
Item 15.A-15.B · Zoning
Pony Express 27 general plan amendment and rezone, denied
Denied · 5-0
The request would change the land use from Community Commercial and Civic Uses/Schools to Neighborhood Residential Two and rezone parcels 58:040:0326 and part of 58:040:0228 from Village Core Commercial and Community Open Space to RC. Brian Haskell, representing the landowner, said the owners want residential use and cited a 2008 vested 290-unit entitlement and a 59-unit proposal; City Attorney Marcus Draper gave his legal opinion that the vesting expired with the Ranches master development agreement. David Crockett of Pulte Homes proposed single-family detached RC development. Council Member Donna Burnham opposed residential-only use and said the unit count was too high; Council Members Brett Wright and Gray were open to mixed use. Jeff Ruth opposed residential uses and Bettina Cameron of the Eagle Mountain Nature and Wildlife Alliance urged keeping city land for the wildlife corridor and asked that corridor needs be a condition if the rezone were approved. Council Member Rich Wood moved to deny both items.
Item 16.A · Taxes and fees
Transportation impact fee update
Approved · 5-0
Fred Philpot of LRB Public Finance Advisors presented an analysis with total growth-related construction cost of $46,523,248 and 4 percent annual inflation; the 2022 Sales Tax Bonds fund Projects 1 and 7. No one spoke at the hearing.
- Fee$46.5 million to LRB Public Finance Advisors
Item 16.B · City code
Wildlife Corridor Overlay Zone amendments, EMMC 17.49
Tabled · 5-0
Wildlife Biologist Todd Black presented amendments. Gray raised fencing concerns for agriculture and livestock. Bettina Cameron spoke at the hearing. The council tabled the item and requested eight staff amendments, including a definition of agricultural activities, a fencing exemption process and removal of homeowner association language.
Item 17.A · City code
Lot line adjustment code amendments, EMMC 17.10.030 and 16.50.020-.040
Approved with conditions · 4-0-1
Planning Manager Robert Hobbs presented amendments implementing HB 406; the Planning Commission recommended approval Nov. 28, 2023 with conditions. Burnham's amended motion also directs staff to record zoning notices on affected property. Gray abstained and no reason is stated.
Item 10.C · Contract
Recruitment consultants for city administrator
Tabled · 5-0
Wright cited International City/County Management Association guidelines for selecting an administrator, and Wood supported using that process. Discussion covered transparency, delays, local versus out-of-state firms and the burden on deputy staff. The council tabled the item and later asked that it return on the next agenda.
- ContractAmount not given to Jason Walker and David Kitchen (recruitment consultants named in agenda)
Item 14.B · Development
Wendy's site plan, 4302 Pony Express Parkway
Approved with conditions · 5-0
Planner Caden Lyon said the plan reduces trees in front of the building from five to two. Wright moved approval with three conditions: two trees on the north side, sufficient crosswalk lighting under EMMC 17.75.069 and building lighting that complies with 17.56. Wood had raised headlight screening concerns at nearby Oak Hollow, and staff agreed to monitor.
Item 10.A-10.B, 11-13, 14.A · Contract
Consent: right-of-way purchase, used rodeo arena equipment, treasurer appointments, Eagle Vision Building Two
Approved · 4-0-1
The consent agenda approved a right-of-way purchase from LSC Real Estate, used rodeo arena equipment from The Days of '47 Rodeo, Salt Lake Inc. for $62,500 (similar new equipment costs about $200,000), bond releases for Harmony Phase A Plat 9 and SilverLake Plat 3.1, resolutions naming Kimberly Ruesch interim treasurer and Paula Buck deputy treasurer, and the Eagle Vision Building Two site plan at 4416 E. Pony Express Parkway. Gray abstained on the consent agenda and gave no reason.
- Purchase$62,500 to The Days of '47 Rodeo, Salt Lake Inc.
- Land dealAmount not given to LSC Real Estate
Item 9.A · Appointment
Library Advisory Board appointment
Approved · 5-0
The council appointed Dillon Boss to the Library Advisory Board through December 2024.
Item 1.A · Development
Lower Hidden Valley concept plan, Perry Homes (work session)
Discussed
Hobbs and applicant representative Lynsi Neve presented a revised plan that reduces density, relocates the park and protects trails, open space and a wildlife corridor; multifamily buildings may have 20 units each. Council members raised trail connectivity and triplex access, objected to roundabouts, asked for coordination with UDOT on future highway connections and asked for water stations, wildlife signage, petroglyph preservation and a comparison document when the item returns. No vote was taken.
Item 1.B · Roads and utilities
Cedar Valley Highway study, UDOT (work session)
Discussed
UDOT's Eric Rasband said the state appropriated $60 million for corridor preservation and UDOT prefers Option 2, a six-lane freeway in a 425-foot corridor. A consultant said the Eagle Mountain Boulevard alignment with a Midvalley connection best reduces traffic on Pony Express Parkway and Old Airport Road. Trusty said UDOT plans signals in 2025 at Eagle Mountain Boulevard and Cory B. Wride Memorial Highway and at Mount Saratoga Boulevard and SR-73.
- Budget$60.0 million
Item 1.C-1.D · Presentation
CDBG funds and general plan timeline (work session)
Discussed
Staff presented a $200,000 community development block grant budget with options such as senior center paving or a bus, accessibility features on the website and utility payment assistance; Wood and Clark supported having staff build a project list. Planning Director Brandon Larsen outlined a 16 to 18 month general plan update with adoption around August 2025, noting a census estimate of 54,149 people and a staff estimate of 65,500 to 70,000.
- Grant$200,000
What residents said
Residential use on commercial landWildlife corridorHeadlight screening at Oak Hollow
No one spoke during general public comment. At the Pony Express 27 hearing, Jeff Ruth opposed residential uses and Bettina Cameron of the Eagle Mountain Nature and Wildlife Alliance asked to keep city land for the wildlife corridor; Cameron also spoke on the Wildlife Corridor Overlay Zone.