Kamas Valley developer Rusty Webster sought approval for a 45-foot, four-story hotel at state Routes 32 and 35 last year.
The Francis City Council approved a 45-foot, three-story hotel, tentatively named “The Stonewright,” since code only allowed three stories.
Some city leaders complained when the developer stuck with essentially the same architectural layout, just with an unfinished attic in lieu of a fourth story. But they ultimately approved the layout.
Now the Utah Legislature has passed Senate Bill 284, which says that municipalities can't limit how many “habitable stories” the developer of a “commercial lodging structure” can build if it was approved on or before Sept. 1, 2025.
Francis City Councilmember Clayton Querry spoke out against The Stonewright’s attic and architectural plan when it was approved.
He said he hasn’t seen evidence that Webster asked for a special provision in SB284 or that lawmakers wrote it with his hotel in mind.
“It's possible. I really don't know, but it does seem really narrow. And to have it affect a project that we've collectively put hundreds and hundreds of hours into, as a community, to try and shape this project to fit our city is just bizarre to me,” Querry told KPCW. “I don't know how many projects it affects, but it seems to affect this one for sure.”
KPCW’s repeated efforts to reach Webster for comment over the past week were unsuccessful.
SB284 addresses a host of local land use topics. Lawmakers added the provision regarding hotel stories after SB284 was first introduced.
The bill was awaiting Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature as of Friday.
KPCW’s Kristine Weller contributed to this report.
