Draper says no to a downtown DI

DRAPER — After a heated debate Tuesday night, the Draper City Council approved an ordinance prohibiting secondhand stores in the heart of its retail district.

The ordinance hits a particularly sensitive chord with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which had hoped to build a Deseret Industries store on 12300 South and 300 East.

"This body is trying to limit one specific entity from locating in this community," said Councilman Paul Edwards, one of two council members who voted against the ordinance.

"It's unfortunate that this body and this community has been painted with a raw brush that we're snobs. . . . And to propose an ordinance that's specific to one entity in a rapid, rash fashion is absolutely wrong."

The church-owned thrift store reportedly has been looking at a 5-acre spot east of I-15 as a possible site for a 38,000-square-foot store. But the ordinance passed Tuesday restricts secondhand stores larger than 5,000 square feet to a commercial zone west of the freeway.

"Unfortunately, I think this whole issue has been made into an emotional issue, dividing the city into east and west, versus haves and have-nots, and I think it's unfortunate," said Councilman Bill Colbert, who heavily pushed the ordinance with Councilwoman Stephanie Davis on Tuesday.

Colbert said he'd like to see a Deseret Industries in Draper, just not downtown.

"In looking at other communities, you don't see secondhand thrift stores being put in downtown redevelopment projects," he said. "You don't see The Gateway; you don't see those uses."

The ordinance was first proposed at the Jan. 3 council meeting, then sent to the Draper Planning Commission. The commission gave its endorsement later that month.

Colbert argued Draper, a relatively young city, needs to specify definitions of what is permitted in respective zones. Because zones were not defined, stores like a check-cashing service and a pawn shop sit at the gateway to the city, he said.

"I think that was wrong," he said. "Salt Lake doesn't allow this to occur in their prime real estate district. It doesn't occur downtown."

While ordinance opponents Edwards and Councilman Pete Larkin agreed Draper needs to spend some time defining zoning language, Larkin said the ordinance has far-reaching impacts the city someday will regret.

"I think this is a really poor way of doing it. You don't do it haphazardly as things come along," he said.

Larkin also questioned the intent, asking, "Why were secondhand stores over 5,000-square-feet singled out?"

Mayor Darrell Smith agreed and gave his opposition to the ordinance.

"This is a decision that is not for the common good of the whole of our community. And I mean that very sincerely," Smith said.