Thanksgiving Point area plan amendment

Every hearing and vote

1. May 5, 2020 · City Council work session

   Thanksgiving Point Area Plan amendment presentation

   Discussed

   Nathan Ricks, speaking for the Greer Company, Thanksgiving Point and Stack Development, presented a proposed 40-year transit-oriented plan starting on the east side, with 77 acres of public open space and more trails including a Riverwalk. He cited a new state law requiring a station area plan within a half mile of the FrontRunner station, and said a Hales Engineering study found 2,000 east-side units can be handled with I-15 completion alone. Thanksgiving Point's Mike Washburn said commercial development would fund its mission, no money exists for a road across the golf course, and a golf course probably would not survive a road through it. Council Member Chris Condie warned residents would be concerned about losing the golf course; Council Member Mike Southwick asked for a resident open house; Council Member Katie Koivisto asked for a clearer map legend because the plan's 'low density' is not what residents consider low and asked whether the developer would build roads; Council Member Paul Hancock asked for traffic studies without the Clubhouse Drive extension and without a neighborhood grocer; Council Member Paige Albrecht was concerned about west-side density and wanted more traffic solutions. Ricks agreed to a more detailed traffic study.

   Vote: null

2. October 6, 2020 · City Council work session

   Thanksgiving Point area plan amendment (joint session with Planning Commission)

   Discussed

   Nathan Ricks presented the latest proposal, focused on the east side of the FrontRunner tracks with more density, added office, and residential over ground-floor retail in a walkable setting. A Hales Engineering traffic study of two scenarios without a Clubhouse Drive extension favored the one with less office, more residential and no hotel. Ryan Hales said a mix of uses balances traffic and that Triumph Boulevard widening and a Clubhouse Drive extension are needed by 2050 regardless, with the project accelerating the second by about 10 years. Council Member Koivisto asked to redefine the density legend, to see amenities, for Stack Development to build the roads, and for a formal application and fee first, and said she was not comfortable with the density. Council Member Hancock wanted to settle who pays for regional roads before approval and said more residential to offset overbuilt office was concerning. Council Member Condie felt the project is on the right track but was not sold on density. Council Member Albrecht wanted more on traffic impact and financing. Council Member Southwick was concerned about density but called it a good transit-oriented development site. Mayor Johnson said staff must still run infrastructure calculations.

   • Applicant representative: Nathan Ricks
   • Developer named: Stack Development