The council said the development along North U.S. 40 can move forward as long as it makes some adjustments to the neighborhood plan.
The 355 units are part of the Sorenson annexation, an area already approved to hold 6,000 new homes when it was annexed into the north end of Heber in 2020.
City councilmembers emphasized Tuesday, Feb. 20, they want to see more space for children to play and better parking and traffic flow in the development.
The master development agreement (MDA) for that entire section of Heber doesn’t include any open space requirements. Plans for this subdivision show a small city park at one end of the neighborhood.
Councilmember Mike Johnston told developer Mike Bradshaw that’s not enough and not what he expected.
“It’s not fair to ask people to take their 2-year-old down to the city park every time their 2-year-old wants to go outside,” he said. “These people don’t have yards. This is important to me, and you assured me that would happen at annexation. Remember that?”
Parking was another concern for Johnston, who said the amount in similar townhome developments is insufficient.
Along similar lines, Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood said the townhomes appeared packed too tightly.
“I am not anti-density,” he said. “But I’m pro responsible density… and I think living in that middle section would be awful. And I don’t think it has to be this way.”
The council asked Bradshaw to add more parking in the middle of the neighborhood and to space things out so the townhomes aren’t too cramped. They also asked for more pedestrian walkways between buildings.
As for affordable housing, 14 units were required by the MDA and plans show 18. Cheatwood said he values making affordable units the same size as the rest, even if it means lower profits for the developer.
“Why are we saying that they should get an 1,800-square-foot house?” Bradshaw replied. “1,100 square feet is still three bedrooms, two bathrooms – a family can still live in that. We’ve inflated what we think we need to live in.”
The plans will be revised to incorporate more visitor parking, parks and pedestrian access. With those conditions, Bradshaw received preliminary approval to move forward with the development.
