Planning commission approves general-plan amendment and rezones Apple Street parcels for townhome development

Grantsville City Planning Commission voted Jan. 20 to approve a general-plan amendment and a rezoning that will permit a proposed Apple Street townhome subdivision near Cherry Blossom Lane and Apple Street.

The commission approved changing several parcels from single-family density to mixed-use density and rezoned those same parcels to RM‑15, a multiple-residential district, while excluding about 0.95 acres slated to remain commercial along State Route 138. A motion to approve the general-plan amendment was made and seconded; a subsequent motion to rezone the parcels passed on a voice vote.

During the public-hearing portion of the meeting, a number of nearby residents urged caution. Tyler Dimock and Mandy Smith said they moved to Grantsville for larger lots and a small‑town feel and opposed denser development nearby. Mark (identified in the record as Mark Hamilton and later as Mark Hilton) and other residents raised questions about privacy, floodplain impacts and water rights; Kyle Allred and Truman Lancaster asked whether the proposal would allow large apartment buildings or a smaller townhome project, emphasizing that the scale matters for neighborhood impacts.

Developer Randy Krantz, representing Grantsville and Work LLC, told the commission the site had been an unfinished apartment project previously known as Applegate's Apartments, and that the developer intends to remove existing garage structures, secure and clean up the property, and build gated townhomes with amenities such as a clubhouse, pool and gym. Krantz said prior concepts included about 150 apartments, but the project has shifted toward townhomes on individual lots and that the developer will try to offer lower‑priced units where costs allow.

Staff planner Jason reviewed the site history and said the RM‑15 district is compatible with the general-plan map and provides a transition between commercial uses along SR‑138 and residential development to the south; he noted mixed-use density may allow up to 10 dwelling units per acre, with 15 units per acre possible with special considerations. Jason also pointed meeting attendees to public records for floodplain and land‑use information and said any detailed building plans, flood mitigation measures and site work would need to meet code and be subject to further review.

Commissioners said they heard residents’ concerns but emphasized property‑owner rights to pursue development consistent with city regulations. The approvals now allow the developer to move forward with more detailed site plans and conditional‑use or building applications, which will return to staff and possibly the commission for specific design and mitigation review.

The planning commission’s approval is a recommendation to the city council or an administrative rezoning as required by city procedures; the developer indicated the next steps would include submitting detailed plans and working with staff on stormwater and flood‑control requirements.