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Large proposed West Jordan development draws mixed community comments

Posted at 11:16 PM, Oct 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-11 01:16:01-04

West Jordan, Utah -- West Jordan residents had a chance to speak their minds and give their input about a proposed development that could bring in hundreds of new homes and high density housing to the west side.

The city council heard mixed reviews from residents on the plan.

Oquirrh Mountain Resort is a proposed community that would take up most of the land between Bacchus Highway and 6400 West, and 8600 South and 9000 South.

According to current West Jordan City maps, the nearly 220 acre plot of land is zoned for low density and medium density housing, with a small sliver dedicated to high density housing.

Under the proposal, that land would turn into mostly medium density housing. Several sections would become high density and super high density housing, and one section on the corner of Bacchus Highway and 9000 South would be set aside for commercial development.

Across 6400 West, Felicia Wood said she purchased her home a year ago and her backyard backs up to the road.

"We absolutely love this spot," she said. "Because of not only the view, but just the wide, open space."

The plot of land sits right across from her home. When she looks out her back windows, she can see the field and Oquirrh Mountains.

"It's such a pretty setting, and then you have the antelope in the field," she said, looking out the window.

Wood said she was surprised and then upset to learn that the land zoning could change.

"We knew moving in, there'd be some residential -- so we were okay with that," she explained. "It's just the high density and the commercialization that will definitely bring in more traffic, and possibly affect the area in different ways."

She was one of several residents to attend a public hearing Wednesday night about Oquirrh Mountain Resort.

The room took a look at the plans and heard from the developer and city. Re-zoning the land would potentially bring in just under 1,100 new housing units, the plans stated.

"Half of that would be single-family residential detached homes, the other half -- the vast majority -- would be senior housing," said Scott Langford, City of West Jordan Development Services Director.

The plans also call for a community club house with a laundry list of amenities.
Langford said the developer has already commissioned a traffic study. The city said the school district owns land adjacent to the proposed development, where new schools could spring up.

Still, many residents didn't seem too convinced of the plans. Most of the concerns seemed centered around the impact to roads and schools, and questioning if the developer would go through with what's promised.

"To add 5,200 people to our community is poor planning," one woman said.

"I do recognize that we do need to do something," said another woman. "We do need to build, but I don't think that high-density, or medium-density -- I don't even like the medium density to be honest with you."

"The amenities are grand, and almost too good to believe," a woman said, at one point. "And I hope that, perhaps, we could maybe scale some of that down."

Others said they supported the plan, and urged the council to re-zone the land.

"We are excited for this to go up," one person said.

"I applaud the developer on this," another resident said. "There is a need for this type of development."

Langford said the council could decide during their meeting on October 24th whether to rezone the land.

When it comes to the plan that's proposed, he conveyed that the plans are still general and could change.

"If things are accepted by the council, [the developer will] have to come back and provide additional detail -- the individual lot layout, and the house sizes and all of those things," Langford said.

He indicated that they'd hold even more hearings in the future, to work with the developer and community on a final plan.