Second appeal filed on condo project

The Sandy City Council rejected an appeal of a condo development Tuesday night, prompting residents of Cottonwood Heights to file another appeal on Wednesday.

The residents, who are concerned the condo project is too big, filed the second appeal with the Sandy Board of Adjustment. The appeal accuses the city of erring in its interpretation of the zone on plans for Village at Union Park (also known as Village at Park Avenue). The project includes high-density condos, retail sites and a five-story office building.

Plans for the project were modified Tuesday night to reduce impacts on the surrounding area. The $50 million project abuts low-density neighborhoods in both Cottonwood Heights and Midvale. The 9.4-acre site is on a piece of Sandy land bordered by the two cities at 7700 S. Union Park Ave.

Residents and leaders of Cottonwood Heights and Midvale have been vocal in their disapproval of the devel- opment. Many attended public hearings on the development before the city planning commission gave it the green light in February.

The development site was zoned as a buffer between the homes on Creek Road and a retail district, Union Heights, and the heights of any buildings constructed in that buffer area would have been capped at 35 feet. But the planning commission removed the height restriction. New site plans offered by the developer include removing an access road off 1300 East, which would ease traffic congestion and push the buildings about 10 feet away from the Cottonwood Heights homes off Creek Road. Architectural decorations would also be removed on the back of the building, so the structure would not be as wide.

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