The Central Heber Overlay Zone is the city’s plan to promote more mixed-use development and infill housing downtown.
After over a year of discussions, the Heber City Council voted 4-1 to approve the zone at its meeting Sept. 2.
The overlay zone includes two “districts” between 500 North and 600 South: the “Central Neighborhoods District” designates the residential areas between the 200 and 500 blocks, both east and west, while the “Transition Corridor District” runs between the 100 and 200 blocks east and west of Main Street, as well as the streets on either side of state Route 113.
At the Sept. 2 meeting, most of the discussion centered on the maximum number of units per building in those sections of downtown.
Councilmember Yvonne Barney, the lone “no” vote, said she wanted a 10-unit limit to ensure developers can’t take over large swaths of downtown homes.
“It makes it easier for a developer – maybe someone who’s maybe not so scrupulous with their practices – to come in and to force landowners or homes or individuals within the transition area to sell their property,” she said. “I don’t see a problem with trying to just keep it at 10 instead of 20.”
She also didn’t want to replicate the North Village Overlay Zone or other higher-density areas of Heber.
“We have allowed ourselves oodles of density in the NVOZ, oodles of density all around the community,” she said. “And I’m wondering why we keep having to add more when this needs to be the area that is more of a historical feel.”
She said central neighborhoods should stick to limited density and Heber shouldn’t try to “be a city like everyone else.”
Sid Ostergaard had a different take. He pointed out density can be thoughtfully done, like when Heber leaders toured some Salt Lake City neighborhoods with a mix of townhomes and historic houses.
“That was 22 units per acre right there, which is a lot of density, and everybody fell in love with it,” he said. “‘Oh, this is what we need to do.’ My opinion? That is a transition zone.”
After hours of discussion, the council opted for a limit of 10 units across two buildings for the transition zone, and five units in one building as the maximum in the central neighborhoods.
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