Sandy City Planning Commission Meeting - December 4, 2025
Sandy City Planning Commission Meeting - December 4, 2025
The Sandy City Planning Commission convened on December 4, 2025, to review four agenda items concerning land development code amendments, architectural facade redesigns, and site plans for the Silver Sage Business Park. The meeting featured presentations from city staff and developers regarding a zoning matrix refinement for the Automall District, a facade modification for the Smith Entertainment Group's redevelopment of the former Macy's building, and a combined site plan and infrastructure project for financial services and fiber optic utility operations. Public comments addressed noise mitigation concerns from adjacent residents and opposition to the utility station's classification. The commission approved all four motions with specific conditions regarding landscaping and noise buffers, and finalized the election of the new Chair and Vice-Chair.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the minutes from the November 20, 2025, meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Steve Van Marin (10407 Banber Parkway, Suite 207): Expressed conditional support for the Smith Entertainment Group project but suggested adding a peaked roof articulation over the entrance to better frame the shopping center hallway.
- Ryan Fowler (10908 Savannah Drive): Expressed support for developing the "weedy lot" but voiced strong concern regarding the lack of sound buffering for his residence, noting the property faces heavy traffic noise from 700 East. He requested the developers consider addressing the noise issue.
- Travis Ackerman (828 East Savannah Drive): Expressed gratitude for the trail but echoed the noise concerns, requesting a variance to require a 15-foot landscape buffer with tall evergreen trees at the back of the property to protect residents and trail users.
- Mark Scott (1080 Savannah Drive): Expressed adamant opposition to the Middle Mile Infrastructure Utility Station. He argued the facility does not meet the intent of the professional office zone (SD), is not a legitimate public utility, lacks data on electromagnetic field safety, and poses a hazard to the community. He requested the denial of the conditional use permit.
- Todd Bobang (via Zoom, South Carolina): Clarified technical details regarding noise mitigation, confirming the CMU walls are designed to mitigate both site and road noise, and stated that the facility's electromagnetic levels are within World Health Organization guidelines.
Discussion Items
- Automall Zone Land Use Matrix Amendment: Planning Director Mike Wilcox explained the staff-initiated amendment to Title 21 to align land uses with the district's purpose, specifically restricting non-dealership uses in the Automall dealership subdistrict. The Automall Dealers Association provided a letter of support. The commission discussed ensuring only dealership-related uses remain in the subdistrict.
- Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) Redevelopment (Phase Three): Architect Rob Cottle presented the request to replace the west facade of the former Macy's building with a Class A office elevation, including aluminum screens for solar gain reduction and architectural treatments. Commissioners praised the design, with Lenise Davenport noting it was an improvement over the previous block wall. Steve Van Marin offered a suggestion on the roofline. Cameron Duncan expressed that while he found the design awesome, he wished the project included a "pop-up" on the roof to align with the nearby mountain basketball and Jazz themes, though he affirmed he would not vote against it based on that alone.
- Silver Sage Business Park 2 (Navigate Private Wealth & Middle Mile):
- Office Building Site Plan: Applicants Scott Bunnell and Kyle Spencer proposed consolidating two lots to build a financial services office. Public commenters Ryan Fowler and Travis Ackerman raised concerns about noise from 700 East and requested evergreen tree buffers. Staff and applicants discussed balancing crime prevention (via wrought iron viewing fences) with noise screening, ultimately agreeing to revise the landscape plan to include evergreen trees on the east side of the parking lots.
- Middle Mile Utility Station: AECOM representative Christina Lewis presented the proposal for a fiber optic booster station and emergency generator. Mark Scott opposed the use, arguing it violates the zone's intent and lacks safety data. Staff Director James Sornson clarified that the definition of "public utility station" in the code includes telecommunications and quasi-public utilities, affirming the facility's eligibility for a conditional use. The utility was confirmed to use natural gas generators tested monthly, with noise projections well below street noise levels. Craig Kitterman abstained from the vote due to a conflict of interest or lack of sufficient understanding, though staff advised that abstentions are generally reserved for members not present for the presentation. Cameron Duncan noted he had not voted "no" even though he felt the objections hadn't been fully addressed, prompting a discussion on the importance of deliberating concerns before voting.
Key Outcomes
- Automall Zone Amendment: Motion carried (Unanimous 8-0). The Planning Commission recommended a positive vote to the City Council to amend Title 21 of the Sandy Municipal Code regarding land uses within the Automall zone district.
- Smith Entertainment Group Facade: Motion carried (Unanimous 7-0). The Planning Commission approved the modified site plan, building architectural design, colors, and materials for Phase Three of the redevelopment at 1045 South State Street.
- Silver Sage Business Park 2 - Site Plan: Motion carried (Unanimous 8-0). The Planning Commission approved the preliminary site plan for the Navigate Private Wealth Office Building, adding a condition that trees on the east side of both parking lots be revised to evergreen species (within the 60/40 split requirement) to mitigate street noise.
- Silver Sage Business Park 2 - Subdivision: Motion carried (Unanimous 7-1, Craig Kitterman Abstained). The Planning Commission terminated the preliminary subdivision review for the consolidation of the two commercial lots.
- Middle Mile Infrastructure - Site Plan: Motion carried (7-0, Craig Kitterman Abstained). The Planning Commission approved the preliminary site design for the public utility station at 10935 South 700 East.
- Middle Mile Infrastructure - Conditional Use: Motion carried (7-0, Craig Kitterman Abstained). The Planning Commission approved the conditional use permit for the fiber optic booster station.
- Leadership Election: Danny Schoenfeld was elected Chair and Lenise Davenport was elected Vice-Chair for the next six months.
- Meeting Cancellation: The December 18, 2025, meeting was officially canceled due to a lack of sufficient agenda items.
- Procedural Clarification: Staff clarified that under City Code Article 11, a member present for the presentation cannot formally abstain from voting; they must vote "Yes" or "No" or recuse themselves by withdrawing from the meeting entirely.
- Vote Irrelevance: The commission noted that Craig Kitterman's abstention did not affect the outcome of the Middle Mile votes as a majority of "Yes" votes was achieved regardless.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, are we ready, Mike? Anybody gonna be speeches on what you watched in recent years? Ron gave his speech when he volunteered for the committee for the Christmas committee. Recording in progress. Okay, we'd like to welcome everyone out to uh the planning commission meeting this evening at today's uh commission meeting uh for December 4th uh 2025. Welcome all those who are here in attendance with us as well as anyone who may be online as well. And uh um we will begin with a pledge allegiance if you could all stand and uh say the pledge of allegiance with me. Okay, so my name is Dave Bromley, and I will be chairing the meeting this evening, and uh we will introduce the planning commission members here first, and we'll begin to my left here with Craig. Craig Kitcherman, Lynny Stavenport, uh Danny Schoenfeld, Ron Mortimer, Steve Brickley, Cameron Duncan, and uh James, if you could introduce staff. Okay, my name is James Sornson on the community development director. We have Darien Alcorn, senior civil attorney with the city, uh Mike Wilcox, Planning Director, Doug Wilwright Development Services Manager, Travis Ackerman is here with us, he is assistant city engineer. And got that right, right? And we got Brittany Ward is the public works assistant director, and I just want to recognize Jennifer George as a planning commissioner with us tonight as well. And Aish over here is the planning secretary. Oh, where's Ivan? Oh, sorry, he was sitting back there. Um got Ivan Cooper is the transportation engineer. Sorry. Okay. Thank you, James. All right, to uh kind of let everybody know um how the meeting will go this evening. We will have for each of the uh each of the items on the agenda. Um we'll have uh our planning director, Mike Wilcox will provide an uh introduction of the item afterwards. Uh the uh developer or the app the applicant uh will have the opportunity to address uh their item. And then um there'll be a staff presentation after which uh we'll open up the discussion to any public comment that uh would like to be made. Um if you are in attendance here, if you could come to the podium and then um we would invite you to uh first state your name and address, and then you would be be provided uh two minutes uh comment, and then if there's other like a speak on the same topic, then if you could also come to there, state your name and address and um if you could just focus on items that had not been addressed by previous uh commenters, that would be appreciated. Um after we've heard uh public comment, we will then uh close to public comment and uh and then open it up for planning commission uh deliberation and motions. So we'll begin the first item, which is the amendment to title 21 of the land development code, uh, as it relates to the Automall zone land use matrix. And Mike. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh this first item is a staff initiated code amendment. Uh which involves um the uh some amendments to the land use matrix or land use table uh for the automal zoning district uh within the automal zone district, uh which is roughly bounded by um 106 south on the north end, 110th south on on the south end, and then the freeway and state street is roughly where that's located. Um there are two subdistricts within that area. One is for the Automall uh dealership area, and then the other is for a Automall commercial area. And within the matrix, there are different land uses for each of those different uh subdistricts within that area of the city. Um and as part of the city's review of this area, um it came to our attention from the Auto Mall itself that it allows for currently for certain land uses that are not congruent with the purpose of the Automall zone, especially the the sub dealership area. Um and so there are certain land uses that don't help establish or or ensure that only dealerships can be located within that area. So this has been supported and reviewed by the Automall Dealers Association, and they've uh included their letter of support of the city's action on this particular item, and that's included in exhibit C. So the intent of this uh proposed amendment will uh hopefully help strengthen the Southtown Automall area, uh put uh the land use matrix in better alignment with the purpose uh and um of establishing this Automall area in the city and restrict certain uses that are currently allowed to only be allowed either as in conjunction with the dealership or not allowed at all anymore in that in that area. So this kind of gives a little bit of a summary of what this uh the effect of this proposed amendment would do within the automal dealership subdistrict. So these uh listed uses would be allowed if they are done in conjunction with a dealership's operations as ancillary to the primary use of selling automobile automobiles and operating uh a dealership. And then these are uses that are currently either permitted or conditional in that same um district, the subdistrict of the dealership area, which we feel would be better uh located in other areas of the city and not allowed to be located in this particular area. So with that, um staff has proposed those amendments that are shown in exhibit A as the red line version in your staff reports, as well as a clean version of what that would look like at the as a final product in exhibit B. If there are any questions, you're um welcome to answer anything that uh the planning commission has. Uh if there are no questions, uh staff would uh recommend that the planning commission forward a positive recommendation to the city council to adopt this proposed code amendment that's found in the staff report and shown in the exhibits. Okay, thank you, Mike. Um and is there any questions that uh any commissioners have of staff? Okay, um and uh nothing else from from you, right? Okay, all right.
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