City Council - January 9, 2024

Meeting Summary

The January 9, 2024 City Council meeting marked the formal start of a new term, opening with a swearing-in ceremony for three newly elected councilors: Paige Albrecht, Heather Newall, and Michelle Stallings. Before the regular session, Council also received the city's annual financial audit from Dana Howell of Osbourne, Robbins & Buhler, who reported no major findings and praised city staff for their cooperation. City Attorney Ryan Wood conducted the annual Open Meetings Act and conflict of interest training required of all council members. The council approved several land use actions during the evening. Ordinance #01-2024 rezoned 1.18 acres at 116 South 600 East from Transitional Holding to Neighborhood Commercial for the Berry Property, and Ordinance #03-2024 rezoned 3.6 acres near 1700 North Boston Street from Transitional Holding to Light Industrial for the Larson Zone Change, potentially paving the way for a tow yard operation on one of the parcels. The council also approved a one-year extension for the Hidden Canyon D4 residential development at 1731 West Royal Circle and a plat amendment for Gardner Point Phase 6, removing seven single-family lots and converting the land to open space after an undocumented fill area was discovered — the developer indicated it would seek to add those lots elsewhere at a future meeting. The most debated item of the evening was the Marwood Group concept at 301 East State Street, a proposed five-story mixed-use building with 31 residential units in the transit-oriented development (TOD) zone. Councilmembers expressed concern that placing that many units on a small site could consume scarce density allocations and limit future development. A first motion to approve the full 31 units failed 2-3, and the council ultimately approved the concept with a cap of 25 units on a 4-1 vote. Mayor Johnson recused himself from the final item of the evening — the Beacon Point zone change and concept plan at 1054 West Main Street — because his son was one of the applicants. Mayor Pro Tempore Hancock chaired that portion of the meeting. The council unanimously approved Ordinance #02-2024 rezoning 0.80 acres at 1054 West Main from Commercial to Mixed-Use, and approved the Beacon Point concept plan for a two-story, 9-unit mixed-use building. The developers had reduced the project from its original proposal — dropping from three stories to two, cutting the unit count, and increasing the landscaping buffer — in response to earlier Planning Commission feedback. The next regular council meeting was scheduled for January 23, 2024.