Height Change Requested For Water Park

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  June 27, 2018.  At the public hearing phase of the planning commission, a Conditional Use Permit Application requested by Mike Moldenhauer was discussed by the Commission members.  He asked the City allow him to put in a metal storage container on the property located at 485 North Bear Lake Blvd.

There were no questions asked by the public.  Moldenhauer noted that the container is behind the building and not visible to the public.  He reported that because of the number and amount of items stocked by ACE Hardware, more room is needed to keep the shelves full.

Chris Shurian is the owner of Water’s Edge Resort located at approximately 50 South Bear Lake Blvd.  He is planning to build a hotel and an indoor waterpark.  The waterpark needs to be at least 5’ to 10’ above the allowed building height that is allowed by the City’s current ordinance for buildings in the Beach Zone.

There are six or seven people who have homes on the south side of Water’s Edge.  There were also a couple of individuals from the subdivision north of Water’s Edge.  They were concerned about the change in height.  It will stop some of their view of the lake.  By allowing a change in height may also lead to others who would also like to build taller homes and buildings.

Members of the Zoning Commission told the individuals present that they were looking to change the five-acre area where the Hotel and Waterpark will be built from the Beach Zone to a Hotel/Motel Zone which would then allow the Zoning Commission to negotiate the height with Shurian.  All other properties are still in the Beach Zone, so the height of buildings is still by ordinance at 25’.

The public hearing closed and the planning meeting convened.

The Planning Commission said that a conditional use permit is allowed in a commercial zone.  Since the metal container cannot be seen from the road, the motion was made and approved to allow Mike Mouldenhauer to keep and use the metal container behind ACE Hardware.

The Planning Commission made a motion to change the five-acre area where the hotel and indoor park will be built from the Beach Zone to a Hotel/Motel Zone. The motion was passed.   This change in zones will allow the Planning Commission and the City Council the right to negotiate the actual height to be allowed.

It was suggested by a member of the Commission that perhaps the 30’ to 35’ be allowed only on that part of the building that needs greater height and not the entire five acres that are included in the new zone.  In the future when another building is being built in the five-acre area, the height may again become an issue.

Since the agenda only noted that a zone change would be discussed and approved, a motion was made and passed to change the five acres from the Beach Zone to the Hotel/Motel Zone. 

The Planning Commission will be asking the City Council to approve this change of zone and will recommend that the Town Council negotiate with Shurian to allow the change in height requested by him.