Tavaci parameters still shifting at City Hall

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Development parameters for the Tavaci property at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon are still shifting, with the city's Planning Commission and the City Council apparently in sync on what will happen next.

Under the umbrella of a proposed Canyon Residential Development Zone that would include the 45-acre Tavaci property, developer Terry Diehl would be able to build 125 single-family and attached-unit dwellings, or 155 with a conditional use permit, according to a Planning Commission decision Wednesday. That is still less than the 200 units originally proposed on the 45-acre parcel but more than the 95 allowed under current zoning.

Diehl's plans include restaurants and other "village" amenities the city's zoning allowances still don't accommodate. Diehl tried to de-annex the development from the city so planning oversight would be in the hands of Salt Lake County government, a move the city rejected in November. Diehl has since shifted his development battle to 3rd District Court while zoning particulars continue to develop within city government.

Diehl's attorney was not available Friday afternoon to comment on how the Planning Commission's latest shift will affect the legal battle or other development strategies.

Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore said Friday that development limits set by the Planning Commission this week were "less than was recommended in the (Canyon Residential Development) zone draft we forwarded them," he said, but "we feel the Planning Commission has done what we asked them to do. They have reviewed the CRD zone and made an affirmative recommendation of where they feel the boundaries should be set."

Questions about whether the Planning Commission adequately advertised its proceedings Wednesday may see the Commission repeating the hearing it held Wednesday in its next meeting one month from now, Cullimore said.

"Whether that rises to a violation of the Open Meetings Act or not is debatable. However, we will likely take steps to cure any perceived or alleged deficiency in our notices by re-noticing the discussion and repeating it at a future Planning Commission meeting just to be on the safe side," the mayor said.

That makes it likely the City Council will not officially weigh in on the Planning Commission's proposal until March. 

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