Sandy City Council Meeting: Alta Canyon Sports Center & Brewpub Policy - July 15, 2025

The Sandy City Council met on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 5:15 PM in the Sandy City Council Chambers and via Zoom. The meeting focused on an update on the Alta Canyon Sports Center rebuild (including a projected $4 million cost increase), a brewpub policy analysis, and several voting items including code amendments and a rezone. Council Member Aaron Dekeyzer was excused; the remaining six members were present.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Cathy Spuck questioned whether Alta Canyon Special Service District residents would continue to pay tax assessments while the facility is closed, and asked how the special service district structure would be resolved given city subsidies.
• Mike Applegarth formally submitted a GRAMA request for records of the Mayor’s salary, benefits, and expenses related to Utah State Bar registration and CLE, arguing the city should not pay for the mayor’s personal bar license.
• Dawn Sidwell opposed the Alta Canyon Sports Center rebuild, stating it does not serve residents west of 700E, and criticized the cost increase as a burden on taxpayers.
• Pat Jones urged the Council to be involved in all rebuild discussions, requested that financial information be shared publicly, and cited a prior analysis indicating only about 2% of Sandy residents used the existing center.

Discussion Items

• Alta Canyon Sports Center Update (Item 1 – Informational):

  • Martin Jensen (Deputy CAO) reported that VCBO Architecture and Layton Construction have been hired. Design documents were completed July 3, 2025. The groundbreaking is set for August 25, 2025, with a target opening in January 2027.
  • Nathan Leavitt (VCBO) presented renderings: the building includes a field house (turf), a gymnasium with a folding partition, a community/meeting room, fitness mezzanines, an elevated track, and a new pool mechanical room. The existing outdoor pool will be retained; the splash pad remains unchanged. No concessions stand is planned.
  • Jared Adamson (Layton Construction) stated the current design development estimate is $23.5 million, approximately $4 million above the approved $19.5 million budget, citing rising costs for steel (12-15% in the last year), glass (40% increase), and electrical gear due to tariffs and data center demand. He noted that competitive bidding (targeting 400+ bidders) could reduce the gap.
  • Brian Kelley (Administrative Services) outlined a funding strategy: a $2 million donation from the Larry H. & Gail Miller Foundation (vs. $1 million budgeted), a $4 million county grant request (vs. $3 million budgeted), and the sale of Fire Station 31 (appraised at just over $4 million, vs. $2.1 million budgeted), leaving a gap of about $75,000. Additional sources include interest earnings, future impact fees, and reallocation of existing park funds. The Council requested a written summary.
  • Council members expressed concerns about being left out of design decisions, the cost increase, the field house (cheaper than a second gym), and the need for ADA-compliant policies (including a caregiver pass). Council member Robinson suggested involving the resident advisory group.

• Brewpub Policy Analysis (Item 25-229 – Informational/Direction):

  • Melissa Anderson (Community Development) presented recommendations: allow brewpubs in zones where restaurants serving alcohol are permitted (commercial, mixed-use, office, industrial, and SDX zones), near neighborhood activity centers and ski hubs. She recommended making brewpubs a permitted use (not conditional) wherever restaurants serving alcohol are permitted.
  • Licensing recommendations: charge a single annual alcohol license fee ($219 instead of $438 for two licenses), eliminate the $2,000 cash bond and enforcement bonds (never used in 40 years), and reduce staff workload.
  • The eligible areas amount to about 14% of the city, concentrated in high-traffic areas east of 700 East. The map uses a red buffer for areas where alcohol sales are restricted (e.g., near schools/churches).
  • Council member Robinson praised the analysis and moved to direct staff to run the recommendations through the land use process to the Planning Commission and return for a vote. The motion passed 6-0.

Key Outcomes

• Brewpub Policy Direction: Motion to direct staff to move recommendations through the land use process to the Planning Commission for feedback and bring results back to the Council for action (6-0 vote, roll call).
• Consent Calendar (Items 3-5): Approved minutes from June 3, June 10, and June 17, 2025 Council meetings (unanimous voice vote).
• Animal Running At-Large (Item 6 – Ordinance 25-18): Adopted unanimously changing wording from "should be unlawful" to "it is unlawful" for enforcement (6-0 roll call).
• Altus Rezone (Item 7 – Ordinance 25-15): Adopted unanimously rezoning approximately 2.7 acres (three parcels and a portion of a fourth) from R-1-20A to R-1-8 at 951 E. 8800 S. (6-0 roll call).
• Appeals & Variances Code (Item 8 – Ordinance 25-17): Adopted unanimously to amend Title 21 to align with state code regarding public hearings for appeals and variances (6-0 roll call).
• Residential Parking Standards & Minimum Dwelling Size (Item 9 – Ordinance 25-16): Adopted unanimously to amend Title 21 to comply with Senate Bill 181, including revisions to parking standards, removing garage requirements for owner-occupied affordable housing, and setting minimum dwelling size at no more than 1,000 square feet (6-0 roll call).
• Future Meetings: The next housing workshop (workshop two) is scheduled for July 22, 2025, at 5:15 PM in the Multipurpose Room. The Alta Canyon Sports Center funding decision is proposed as a voting item on July 29, 2025.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM.