Sandy City Council Meeting - July 7, 2026

The Sandy City Council met on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 5:15 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered elections for council leadership, informational presentations on four mayoral appointments, a public hearing on a federal Justice Assistance Grant, discussion of a proposed building height code amendment, a general plan amendment and rezone for the Canyon Gate property, a first reading on redistricting, and a vote to override the mayor's line-item veto of the FY26-27 budget. The council adjourned after a closed session at approximately 11:18 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the draft minutes from June 9, June 16, and June 23, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

General Citizen Comment Period (after 6:00 PM):

• Pat Jones expressed support for redistricting and transitioning to seven districts, stating it would allow better representation.
• Dawn Sidwell commented on the agenda order, expressed support for a print version of the Sandy newsletter, and the Historic Sandy Barbecue.
• Rebecca Colley supported the council's decision to defund the Central Wasatch Commission (CWC) and urged overriding the mayor's veto.
• Steve Van Maren expressed support for funding the CWC and supported the appointment of Carlton Christensen as Economic Development Director.
• Lindsey Nielsen, Executive Director of the CWC, supported the mayor's veto and urged the council to maintain Sandy's membership.

JAG Grant Public Hearing:

• Kellie Forbes stated the JAG allocation sounded good.

Veto Override Public Comment:

• Pat Jones expressed support for overriding the mayor's veto.
• Diane Long opposed the override, arguing the council should represent constituents who oppose the gondola and support the CWC.
• Danny Richman, a Sandy resident since 1978 and member of the CWC Stakeholder Council, urged the council to restore funding and stay in the CWC.
• Online and written comments (read into the record) from Kelly Forbes, Jude Engracia, Cindy Wright, and Leslie Nelson expressed strong support for the CWC and opposition to the override, with some referencing the gondola and Ben McAdams' letter.

Discussion Items

1. Election of City Council Chair and Vice Chair (Item 1): Council held an election. Marci Houseman (District 4) was elected Chair and Brooke Christensen (District 1) was elected Vice-Chair by a unanimous voice vote.

2. Mayoral Appointments for Advice and Consent (Items 2-5): Mayor Zoltanski presented four nominees:

   • Mindy Finlinson for City Treasurer
   • Richard Benham for City Engineer
   • Rachael Van Cleave for Communications Director
   • Carlton Christensen for Economic Development Director Each nominee spoke and answered council questions. All four items were informational and will return for a vote at a future meeting.

3. Amendments to Title 21 (Building Height) (Item 6): Community Development presented a proposed code amendment from applicant Dave Hunt to measure residential building height from natural grade instead of finished grade on sloped lots (30% or greater). The property owner's home was built 8.5 feet over the 35-foot height limit due to a construction error using incorrect plans. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended denial (unanimous negative recommendation). The council discussed options, including spot zoning or a variance, but took no action. Councilmember Houseman offered to continue working with the residents and requested an extension of the temporary occupancy agreement.

4. Canyon Gate General Plan Amendment and Rezone (Items 7 & 8): Community Development presented applications from the Boyer Company to change the future land use of 7.2 acres from Institutional (IN) to Medium Density Neighborhood (MN) and rezone from R-1-8 to PUD(12) for a proposed 86-unit housing development near 825 E 9085 S. The Planning Commission forwarded positive recommendations. Council members discussed requiring owner-occupied deed restrictions or other mechanisms to encourage home ownership. The developer, Spencer Moffat, indicated a willingness to discuss a development agreement. This was an informational item; no action taken.

5. First Reading: Redistricting and Council Restructuring (Item 9): Councilmember Brooke Christensen proposed a first reading to begin the process of redistricting and restructuring the council from four districts with three at-large seats to a seven-district model. She cited disparities in district size and demographics. A majority of council members expressed reluctance to change the structure (preferring to wait for the 2030 census or annexation data) but were open to examining boundary adjustments. No council action was taken.

Key Outcomes

• Council Leadership: Marci Houseman elected Chair, Brooke Christensen elected Vice-Chair.
• Consent Calendar: Approved.
• JAG Grant Public Hearing: Held; no action required.
• Budget Veto Override: The council voted 5-1-1 (Yes: Nicholl, Houseman, Sharkey, Christensen, D'Sousa; No: Dekeyzer; Abstain: Stroud) to adopt Resolution 26-76C, overriding Mayor Zoltanski's June 30 veto of the $93,100 water capital outlay appropriation. The vote reaffirmed the council's legislative appropriation decisions for the FY26-27 budget.
• Closed Session: The council unanimously agreed to convene a closed session (7-0) to discuss the character, professional competence, or physical/mental health of an individual. The meeting adjourned immediately following the session.