Sandy rebuffs protesters, OKs condos

SANDY — After months of heated debate, the Sandy City Planning Commission has approved construction of a high-density condominium complex on an awkward tonguelike piece of city land that is bordered by neighboring cities Midvale and Cottonwood Heights.

Angry residents of all three cities crowded the council chambers this past week, some carrying signs that read, "Don't build the Berlin Wall in my backyard" and "Don't build towers over us." Mayors of Midvale and Cottonwood Heights have expressed their disapproval of the development, but despite months of protest, the Sandy planners gave the green light to developers, citing a strong need for the condos because of Utah's growing population.

"I don't think this is a surprise to anyone that this has been a challenge to us. You're working with new development with existing and established areas," said Alan Matheson, chairman of the Sandy Planning Commission. "These people have to go somewhere, and I think it's creating issues throughout the valley."

The Village at Park Avenue condominiums will start construction on 228 units as soon as possible at 7700 S. Union Park Ave. Four, four-story buildings, three small retail sites and an underground parking garage are included in the roughly $50 million project. In addition, the 9.4-acre site includes a five-story office building by a separate developer.

But the large buildings are only one of the things residents and neighboring city officials are upset about.

"I have never seen in my 35-year career, residential density of this magnitude," said Bob Furstenau, a Cottonwood Heights resident and owner of Furst Construction. "Because I'm a general contractor, I've literally been to hundreds of meetings like this and I've always been pro-development, arguing on the side of the development. But I just can't get my arms around this project."

The narrow, steep site sits on top of a hill, across retail district Union Heights but abutting with low-density communities in both Cottonwood Heights and Midvale. Because of the height and length of the condo project and neighboring office space, many residents will no longer have a view of the mountains or valley.

"What we have is literally almost a solid mile of a sound wall look," said Sue Ryser, a planning commissioner with Cottonwood Heights. "This is the visual image that will be given as people come up into Sandy."