Olympia Hills Project: too fast or is the area ready?
IF the only choice is approving the current proposed zoning for all 900 plus acres and a very vague development agreement, the answer should be NO.
As an architect I have worked on projects that included mixed use, with densities from 25 units per acre to 64 units per acre, plus commercial. Some of the masterplan concepts have been up to 80 to 100 acres. When I showed that the Draper Prison did not have to be moved, we were talking closer to 700 acres.
This Olympus Hills Project isn't just one or a few acres, it is over 900 acres. We are not talking less than 100 units, but over 6,000 units. The obvious question, is the area ready for this development? What can be done and what should not be done. As I have driven along Mountain View the last few years between West Valley City and Herriman the last few years, I have witnessed Growth and Traffic skyrocket.
IF the property owner or developer had purchased the land after the property was rezoned to be a P-C Zone or if there was already a signed development agreement with the county, the property owner would be vested and there would not be much anyone could do other than follow the development agreement with the County and the Owner or new owners.
That has not happened. Yet. That could change in 2 weeks.
If you read the reports the county is posting at:
https://slco.org/development-services/olympia-hills/
It is clear from an infrastructure point of view, there is not currently enough sewer and traffic capacity to handle the project.
What can be approved?
1. The county could consider approving a master plan to allow much of the development over time. If it is going to be over 25 year vs the expected 12 years, it may still work.
2. The county could approve a smaller area, perhaps 5 to 10 to 20 acres to be rezoned at this time. Locating this smaller area near existing transportation hubs. The other areas could be rezoned as the infrastructure allows. One county council member favoring the development has stated “It is master-planned as a whole development. It is not going to be piecemealed.”
3. The county could further reduce the number of units. I was only able to hear one hour of public comments this last week, but it was clear the residents are not in favor of the amended proposal. The adjacent city Mayors are not either. While the county has added a lot more requirements to the new project, it is clear the public and adjacent cities are not convinced it is enough.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/01/28/mayors-call-salt-lake/
What is clear is rezoning the entire property to a P-C Zone and signing a development agreement now for entire property ties the hands of future county or city councils by having the property owner vested.
IF the only choice is approving the current proposed zoning for all 900 plus acres and a very vague development agreement, the answer should be NO.
