KAYSVILLE — A group of residents will petition the City Council Tuesday night to reconsider an action that would allow 285 new homes on the city's west side.
And they're also asking for an audit of how the city has handled land-use issues in the past two years.
The residents say city government was just going along with developer Wasatch Pacific when the Planning Commission and City Council approved a conditional-use permit for the project. The Planning Commission gave its OK Feb. 27; the City Council gave its nod March 13.
One resident sees the problem as the convergence of a small town and rapid growth that brings large-scale development to a former bedroom community that may not be prepared for it.
The petition, which criticizes the city's approval of a conceptual development called Old Mill Village cluster subdivision, will ask the City Council to do three things within 30 days:
Void the conditional-use permit issued to Wasatch Pacific on Feb. 27.
Impose a six-month moratorium on future development in Kaysville.
Conduct a comprehensive investigation and audit covering the prior 24 months involving the city and land-use issues.
City Manager John Thacker said several neighbors of the proposed subdivision have attended city meetings and have been involved in the proceedings. "I think what they don't like is the small lots" planned, he said.
The proposed platting calls for 60 lots of 8,000 to 9,000 square feet; 57 of 10,000 to 11,000 square feet; 59 of 12,000 to 13,000 square feet and 57 of 20,000 square feet or more.
Neka Roundy, a City Council member who represents the council on the Planning Commission, said she welcomes the residents at Tuesday's meeting. "I'm glad they're coming to a public meeting to express their concerns."
She said the city's general plan calls for no more than two units per acre west of I-15.
Resident Troy North says he plans to be at the meeting and understands the issue from both sides. "Kaysville has gone from being a small bedroom community to being inundated with development. We've battled over density issues and we're gotten to a point, in my opinion, where we're beating a dead horse."
Russ Condie, a neighbor of North who is leading the opposition to the conditional use permit, said he and others are frustrated at the way the city officials conduct business.
In a letter to Condie on Aug. 7, Thacker wrote that several concerned residents met with the Planning Commission, the developer, a City Council member and the city engineer and considered a revised concept study for the cluster subdivision, Old Mill Village, on July 31. The Planning Commission gave the developer instructions on the cluster subdivision.
"The developer will submit additional plans which will be reviewed by the city. We invite you and other concerned citizens to again meet with the Planning Commission when it reviews those submittals," Thacker wrote.
The City Council will meet at 7 p.m. in Room A of the Kaysville Municipal Center, 23 E. Center St.
E-MAIL: lweist@desnews.com