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By Myrna Trauntvein In work session, the city addressed a rezone request that was discussed but no action was taken. The city received the rezone request from Kristine and Richard White for a property located at approximately 155 West 200 North. “This property is currently located in the CC (Central Commercial) zone, and the applicant wishes to request a zone change to the CU2 (Combined Use 2) zone for the purpose of building a duplex,” said Seth Atkinson, city administrator. ”There is a vacant lot there.” He said that the White’s property is located in a unique zoning area of the city. Approximately half of the east of Block 43 is zoned as CC (Central Commercial), with one parcel on the northwest being zoned R1-8, and the remainder of the block CU1. The parcel on the southeast of the block is a trailer court, the south-middle of the block contains a 4-plex, and there are five, single-family homes and parcels of varying sizes scattered on the block. “The Central Commercial Zoning does not really fit here in a long-established, predominantly residential area,” said Atkinson. “The city would like to possibly consider rezoning this entire block to the CU2 zone as a city initiated rezone in the future for several reasons.” There are already some residential uses there of a mixed variety that are currently legal, but non-conforming in the current zoning of CC and CU1. The mixtures of all the different residential uses there would fit in nicely with the spirit of the CU2 zone, which is to promote primarily residential with limited commercial uses. “The CU2 zone will allow for the variety of residential types on this block,” he said. The current Central Commercial zone would allow a building as tall as six stories, or 75 feet, he said, that did not fit well with no transition buffer next to all the single-family homes. The current Central Commercial zone would allow a pylon (pole) sign to advertise a business as tall as 85 feet, and could be lit, which does not lend itself to the existing residential uses. “The applicant is proposing a duplex apartment, which is the greatest amount of density that would currently be allowed if rezoned to the CU2 zone, due to the lot’s size,” said Atkinson. Rezoning this property CU2 would be in harmony with the city’s overall goal of “candy-striping” alternating CU1 (primarily business), with CU2 (primarily residential) along our major corridors to use as a traffic-calming measure since the two uses have complimentary traffic patterns, thus minimizing traffic at some, if not all, the peak times, he said. “A duplex at this location would be in keeping with the mixed, and eclectic residential uses already existing on this block,” said Atkinson. “This will provide additional housing rentals needed for families in Nephi.” The parking needed for residential use of a duplex in the CU2 zone would be less than most, if not all, of the permitted by right uses in the current CC zone, he said. “In fact, parking, at this location, for a business would likely be difficult to install due to the narrow frontage, and even if a one-way lane was allowed, it would increase the noise pollution from cars traversing at the business location near long-established residences,” he said. The planning commission reviewed the request and ultimately recommended the change to the city council. “The meeting had a contentious public hearing with many opposed to the change,” said Atkinson. “The main reason presented by most of the public who attended was that a higher density residential lot would contain many of the same problems that the neighboring trailer court has had in the past such as alcohol and drug use, domestic disturbances, and police interventions.” Due to higher holiday mail volume, the notices that are required to be mailed to neighboring residents were delayed, he said, and were only received two days prior to the public hearing, even though staff followed the 10-day requirement to send the notices. Because of this, the planning commission asked that new notices be mailed to nearby residents and that this item be delayed until the January 6, 2026, city council meeting for action. It was being presented in the work session to inform the council of an upcoming item and to provide an opportunity for the council to ask questions. Jeramie Callaway, council member, said that there were existing homes on both sides of the proposed rezoning. There would be an existing home on either side of the proposed duplex. There were actually three zones on the one block, said Atkinson. Shari Cowan, council member, represents the council on the planning commission. She said that there were many comments made at the planning and zoning commission. Cory E. Thomson, planning commission chairman, stated that most neighbors were concerned that the duplex would be rented and would create problems.
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