BLUFFDALE — Soft in the middle and hard around the edges — that's how one developer is proposing this city should grow.
Most well-established cities have higher-density housing at their core and larger homes on bigger lots at the perimeter.
But this city was founded on values of open space and rural character. At the city's core is lots of elbow room, with most homes built on larger parcels.
So, Sorenson Development, the developers of Rosecrest, are suggesting the opposite for this growing city of 5,000 where clustered or multifamily housing could one day define its outskirts. So far, it's taken two years of planning — and there's still no approved site plan.
"We want to build communities rather than destroy them," said Don Wallace, vice president of operations for Rosecrest, Inc. "We've been supportive of Bluffdale getting up to speed." There's no intention to sue or threaten a lawsuit like other developers who have approached Bluffdale.
The higher density proposal for the city's periphery is being deemed a good fit because of its proximity to major transportation corridors. And residents can expect a transition from larger lot sizes at the core, so that lots of apartments and condos aren't built right next to homes on one-acre lots.
If Bluffdale leaders are a little worried these days, they might look next door to Herriman for a sample of what Sorenson is all about.
Sorenson's other Rosecrest, an 1,100-acre project that's now about 40 percent developed in Herriman, accounts for a huge chunk of residents in this city of about 7,000. When the city incorporated in 1999, there were about 800 residents.
Now, when Herriman operations manager Brett Wood takes newcomers on a tour of the city, he's sure to bring them through Sorenson's development, which is one of five separate ongoing developments.
"They're good developers to work with," he said. Sorenson has emphasized open space and trails as part of Rosecrest, which broke ground in 1998. Within 10 years, Herriman's Rosecrest should have 2,700 units.
As Rosecrest spills into Bluffdale to the tune of 3,000 units on about 1,200 acres in the next 15 years, the city's population could easily double. Though the two Rosecrests are contiguous by land, the name for the $100 million Bluffdale development may change to avoid confusion.
With still another 1,000-acre development and two other developments that are proposing to build nearly 800 more units in Bluffdale, the mere idea of a Rosecrest has city leaders on their guard these days.
"That puts a lot of stress on the whole city," said Mayor Wayne Mortimer. And on existing residents. "It changes their way of life."
The pressure will be on for the city to provide services to all those new people and to make sure Sorenson adheres to the city's vision to maintain its rural character. There will be a binding development agreement to make sure that happens.
"We're not fighting it," Mortimer said. "But we want to do it in an organized manner so that it doesn't get overwhelming."
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com