The City Council has agreed to put commercial development in Sandy's historic district in the deep freeze for at least three months, buying time while city officials chip out a general plan for the area.
Approving a three-month moratorium that takes effect immediately, the council put prospective developers on notice that no commercial property proposals will be considered until the revised general plan is in place.Mike Coulam, community development director, said the moratorium should not have major impact but added that city planners "may ask for an extension beyond the three months."
He told council members there are "some key properties people are interested in" within the 60-square block historic area but added he is not aware of any pending commercial development applications.
Phil Glenn, executive director to the City Council, stressed the moratorium is limited to the historic district that extends from 8400 to 9400 South between State and 700 East.
The area between State and I-15 has already been through the masterplanning process, Coulam added, so commercial projects in that area of Sandy can move ahead normally.
But Councilwoman Crickett Raulston said she wants to make absolutely sure that prospective developers realize that they will be moving ahead at their own risk if they attempt any projects before the general plan is finished and adopted by the city.
City Attorney Walter Miller said any current projects in the historic area would fall under Sandy's "pending ordinance doctrine."
Unless those projects have all the proper permits in place now, he said, they would be halted by the moratorium.
Coulam said a masterplanning open house that will focus on the historic district has been scheduled for Sept. 30.
The workshop, which is intended to gather public input from Sandy residents about how the historic district should look in the years ahead, will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Bicentennial Park Pavilion, 530 E. 8650 South.