Garden City Planning & Zoning Commission Held

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  November 4, 2015.  A public hearing was held prior to the Planning Commission Meeting.  A discussion concerning the Dark Sky Ordinance was held.  Ideas and suggestions were made.

The Regular meeting was called to order at 5 p.m.  

Joey Stocking was given the oath of office becoming the newest member of the Planning Commission by Tammie Calder.

Minutes from the last meeting were discussed and approved. 

A conditional use permit application to add eight additional glamping tents and four more wagon circles to Conestoga Ranch was requested by Mike Knapp.  However, no one from the Conestoga Ranch was present at the meeting.  Several members of the Commission had questions concerning this permit.  Because there was no representation from the Resort, the item was tabled until the next meeting.

The motion was made and seconded to accept the updated Dark Sky Ordinance.  Several suggestions from the public hearing were incorporated into the ordinance prior to its acceptance by the Planning Commission.

A discussion of the recreation vehicles ordinance was held.  A definition for recreational vehicles was needed.  There needs to be some City control over fifth-wheelers, trailers, campers, cabin boats, and so forth.  The definition needs to include all types of vehicles that contain cooking and eating facilities.  Also, other suggestions were made to update the current recreation vehicle ordinance.  Members of the Commission were asked to look over the current ordinance and be prepared to make suggestions at the next Planning Meeting.

The Planning Commission went through the process of creating a recreational estates/agricultural zone several months ago.  The City Council decided that the Planning Commission had misinterpreted this zoning area and decided that the area along third West should be placed into that zone. 

The reason for creating this particular zone is to have a place for any sexual-oriented business to build if they should happen to come into the community.  Without having such a zone determined and set aside, such a business could build anywhere within the City.  The Commission felt making a zone on the south west part of Garden City would keep such a type of business in an area away most of the homes and family businesses.  If a city does not designate a zone for sexually-oriented business, they may go anywhere. The Commission picked an area and zoned it as Recreational Estates/Agricultural zone.  They made a list of the types of businesses that would be permitted in that particular zone.  They are hoping that the City Council will approve their action.