Iron County approves Adams Farm development agreement, limits townhome cluster to 120 units

The Iron County Commission on Dec. 8 approved a development agreement with DDJ Development LLC for the Adams Farm Subdivision, a proposed development of roughly 77.45 acres at the northeast corner of 3200 North and 2300 West in Cedar City that staff said could yield about 225 dwelling units across a mix of lot sizes.

Planning staff and the developer described the plan as a mix of one-acre, half-acre and smaller single-family lots with a clustered townhome area on the southeast corner. Brett (applicant representative, DDJ Development LLC) and planner Tyler Melling told commissioners the master plan includes a centralized stormwater basin and park area, about 4 acres in size, and additional two-acre outside-storage area for boats and RVs to reduce flooding risk to homes.

The project drew several public comments from nearby residents about drainage, flooding history and traffic on 2300 West. Lori Brown, president of the Monarch Meadows HOA, said recent storms have sent water across the field and into neighborhood yards and asked how the developer will guarantee on-lot retention and long-term maintenance. "Where's that water gonna be retained?" Brown asked at the hearing.

Tyler Melling said the agreement and subsequent subdivision-level engineering require each lot to be graded so it retains stormwater and will be sized to handle a 25-year storm; he said the park basin is sized for the 25-year event with overflow to the park up to a 100-year event and the outdoor storage area sized to the 250-year capacity to protect streets and homes. He added the project will include an HOA and CC&Rs to provide enforcement for maintenance obligations.

Commissioners and staff also discussed protections for the Stevensville Ditch, with staff noting a 75-foot demarcation for maintenance and a 100-foot no-occupied-structure clearance from the ditch center line. The planning commission had recommended approval with modifications, including firming up the townhome cluster area and reducing the proposed maximum townhouse units previously listed in the packet.

In the motion that passed, commissioners approved the development agreement as presented with the modification limiting the maximum townhome units to 120. The vote was recorded as a carried motion.

Next steps: the development agreement vests the project's rules and standards for the build-out period; individual subdivisions and engineering plans will still need to return to staff and the county for subdivision approvals and subdivision-stage drainage plans.