City Council Meeting Wednesday- CANCELED

In case you haven't yet heard, the City Council Agenda for Wednesday shows:

d. CANCELED – Receive public input and consider for approval Ordinance 11-, Amending the General Plan Land Use Amendment for 51.75 acres from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential, and Rezone from P-C (Planned Community) maximum density of 2.87 dwelling units per acre to P-C (Planned Community) maximum density of 5.15 dwelling units per acre, and Preliminary Development Plan; for property located at approximately 6509 West 7800 South, East Maples Investments, LLC/Mark Garza, applicant [Tom Burdett]

The city clarified this today by phone and said that early last week the developer decided not to go forward with putting this item before the City Council at this time.  They did stress that he could at a future date decide to put this item unchanged before the City Council (with 12 days notice) but that all living within 300 feet of the East side of the neighborhood would receive notice.  If you do receive notices of any future meetings/submissions, please pass the word on.

Thanks to everyone who was planning to attend Wednesday- enjoy a free night!

City Council Meeting- MARCH 23rd

We have been notified by the city that, despite a negative recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the developer is going to take his most recent proposal before the West Jordan City Council.  The date has been set for MARCH 23rd at 6:00 pm @ City Hall.  PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.  The outcome of this meeting will greatly affect our neighborhood and so please take the time to see what this proposal is all about, and let your neighbors know also.  Emails and letters to Council members stating your concerns on this issue are another way of having your voice count.

 

This is not a Planning and Zoning meeting- this is a CITY COUNCIL meeting.  It is imperative that we have as many people from the neighborhood to this meeting as possible.   Questions or concerns?  Please feel free to ask.

 

Thank you!

 

 

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RE:      Publication of “Public Notice”       

Please publish the following “public notices” in the “Legal Advertisements” section of The Salt Lake Tribune:
  THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN, UTAH
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
A Public Hearing will be held before the City of West Jordan City Council on Wednesday, March 23, 2011, at the hour of 6:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers at 8000 South Redwood Road, Third Floor, West Jordan, Utah, to receive public comment prior to considering a General Plan Amendment for approximately 51.75 acres from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential, and a Rezone from P-C (Planned Community) maximum density of 2.87 dwelling units per acre to P-C (Planned Community) maximum density of 5.15 dwelling units per acre and Preliminary Development Plan, for property located at approximately 6509 West 7800 South; East Maples Investments, LLC/Mark Garza, applicant.  You are invited to attend the Public Hearing and take part in the discussions and voice any support or concerns you may have.  If you desire to speak on an item, the time will be limited to 3 minutes.  Items may be moved on the agenda or tabled by the City Council.  Copies of the agenda packet for this meeting will be available at the West Jordan libraries and on the City’s website www.wjordan.com approximately 4 days prior to the meeting.
                                                            Published this 6th day of March 2011
                                                            Melanie S. Briggs, MMC
                                                            City Clerk

Results of the March 1st Planning and Zoning Meeting

With such short notice, a BIG thank you to those who re-arranged their schedules to make it to the meeting tonight.  Once again, we are so grateful to report that the West Jordan Planning Commission voted to send a negative recommendation to the City Council for rezoning of the proposed site (the vote was 6 to 1, with Commissioner McKinney being the dissenting vote). 

Unlike last time, Terry Diehl showed up in person to try to push this proposal through.  Thank you to all in the neighborhood that made their voices heard- you did an excellent job voicing our concerns and helping the Commissioners see that this proposal is not the best for our neighborhood or West Jordan City.

As was mentioned at the the meeting- the next step is for this issue to be taken before the City Council (unless the developer again decides to back out of this proposal before that time).  When we hear either way, we will let you know.
Thanks again everyone.  You are all great and we are happy to have you as our neighbors!

Planning and Zoning Meeting Tuesday March 1st, 6pm @ City Hall

Want to know the details?  Here's the Proposal:
http://www.ci.west-jordan.ut.us/Files/Comm%20Dev/Planning/Agendas/Item%204%20Development%20Plan.pdf
and here's the City Staff Report:
http://www.ci.west-jordan.ut.us/Files/Comm%20Dev/Planning/Agendas/Item%204%20East%20Maples.pdf

Argument against current rezone proposal...

For the West Jordan Planning and Zoning Commission

From the Maples Development at Jordan Hills

On October 19^th, 2010 we pulled together as a neighborhood to attend the West Jordan Planning and Zoning Meeting in opposition to a proposed increase in zoning of the area directly east of our homes. Last month we were unhappy to be met with the news that the developer is again applying for an increase in zoning within this area.



In response to the February Application Request for the East Maples 6509 West 7800 South General Plan (Amendment for approximately 51.75 acres from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential and Rezone from P-C Planned Community maximum density of 287 dwelling units per acre to P-C Planned Community maximum density of 5.15 dwelling units per acre),

we again urge the Planning and Zoning Commission to vote against rezone.

As we outlined our arguments against rezoning this area in detail for the October 2011 meeting, we will not waste the Commission's time by restating them all here- but will attach a summary to this document, and will ask the Commission to review the October notes in detail as you may need or see fit. The following are additional items that apply specifically to this application:

Arguments against proposed rezone

1. The October 19^th, 2010 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes show that the application was denied “...based on the facts and testimony that there is not the infrastructure to support the proposed higher density and changing the future land use map changes the flow and the way the map was intended from the beginning.” This motion was also amended to include specific findings; “Finding A of 13-7C-6 is not met, because the increased density is not currently near any significant commercial services or transit corridors; Finding B is not met, because there are adequate optional sites for the proposed use or change in density; Finding C is not met, because the expectations of neighbors related to prior density standards for this property are not consistent and that the greater density is incompatible with the existing use; Finding D is not met, because the proposal seems intended primarily to benefit the developer and not the city.”
   It is the neighborhood's wish to remind the Commission that none of these findings have changed, and that any and all indicators that they have are based on projections not yet realized. Projected increase in commercial and other development has proven to be slow and unreliable for our area.
2. Steepness of the grade and Overall Aesthetics
   Maple Hills is on a steep hill. This issue was visited by us in the October meeting, however we feel it is important to revisit specifically in regards to this proposal. The Preliminary Development Plan indicates retaining walls would possibly be necessary and affect about 154 of the 254 units planned. Many of these units would be affected by two walls, others would be surrounded by three retaining walls along their property lines. While the steepness of the grade is problematic for even low density- to densely build homes in such a compacted layout and on such steep terrain is impractical and inadvisable.
   The proposed plan allows only 45 feet width for a standard lot, with a mere 4 feet clearance on each side of the house. Many lots would have part of this 4 feet taken by a retaining wall. Over half the proposed development site has between 6-12% slope, with a large area across the center of the site with a 12-30% slope. The developer's answer for how such large and expansive retaining walls will work is, “Potential walls to be built by homebuilder to level lots on an as needed basis.”
   We again reiterate, a dense development on this land does nothing to improve the overall aesthetics of our neighborhood. In fact, we feel it is fair for us to assume it would lower the values of our homes.
   
   
3. Maples already too dense
   
   While this issue was also brought up for the October meeting, we feel it is necessary for the Commission to revisit our concerns. The Maples has the highest density out of the neighborhoods of Jordan Hills villages. We have looked forward to the lower density building east of our development in order to balance our neighborhood and lower the overall density. This proposal, however, is using large areas of “open space” (unbuildable areas) to create a guise of medium density, when what is really being proposed is smaller and more compacted units than we already have in our neighborhood.
   Section 13-7D-7(A) Finding 2 of the Staff Report states: “While it is true that the overall density of this new project is less dense than the adjoining Maple Hills Village development this proposed development has a higher number of smaller lots with the typical or standard size lot being 45 feet wide and 100 feet deep (4,500 square feet). This seemingly paradoxical situation of reduced density with smaller lots can be attributed to the developments open space (15% which is the minimum amount required in a P-C district) and more residential roads.”
   We again request that the Planning and Zoning Commission review the density of our neighborhood, the planned density of the property surrounding us, and our neighborhood's pleas that we be allowed to kept the proposed area lower density to balance our already too dense neighborhood.

We thank you for your time, and again request that the Planning and Zoning Commission vote AGAINST rezoning.

NEW PROPOSAL- Mark your calendar for Planning & Zoning meeting February 15th

Dear Maples Neighbors,

There will be an agenda item on the next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Tuesday, February 15th at 6 pm to discuss the following:

East Maples; 6509 West 7800 South; General Plan Amendment for 51.75 acres from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential and Rezone from P-C (Planned Community) maximum density of 2.87 dwelling units per acre to P-C (Planned Community) minimum base density of 3.1 dwelling units per acre, and Conceptual Development Plan; East Maples Investments, LLC / Mark Garza (applicant) [Scott Langford #GPA20110001; ZC20110001; parcels 20-27-400-017 and 20-27-427-011]

I want to make sure everyone is aware that 3.1 housing units per acre (around 150 homes) is the minimum number for medium density zoning.  The proposal submitted by East Maples Investements, LLC actually outlines 254 lots, which would be about 4.98 housing units per acre.  This isn't much of a compromise from what this same developer proposed last October and was rejected by the city.  I will attach a document with a preliminary layout proposal for the development so you can visualize what they have planned.

If you have concerns about this proposed development, please plan on attending the meeting on February 15th at City Hall in the City Council Chambers to make your feelings known.  If the commission only hears from the developer and there is no comment from the public, it's likely they'll vote in the developer's favor.  If you are unable to attend, you may want to speak with Scott Langford.  He is the West Jordan City Engineer who is reviewing the proposal and will be presenting his findings to the Planning and Zoning Commission.  He can be reached at (801) 569-5067 or scottla@wjordan.com.

Please help spread the word and I'll see you Tuesday the 15th at the meeting.

Thanks!

October 19th Planning Commission Meeting - how it went...

Thank you to everyone who showed up tonight to have your attendance and voices heard.  We are grateful and happy to report that the West Jordan Planning Commission voted unanimously against the rezoning of the proposed site.  It was a long meeting, so thank you to everyone hanging in there and sticking with it.  As was mentioned at the end of the meeting- the next step is for this issue to be taken before the City Council (unless the developer decides to back out of this proposal before that time).  We inquired after the meeting as to when we would know times, dates for the City Council meeting and were told we would receive notification- so when we hear either way, we will let you know.

Thanks again everyone.  You are all great and we are happy to have you as our neighbors!