Planning commission forwards unanimous recommendation to convert old Central Business District to Main Street Commercial

The Santaquin City Planning Commission voted unanimously Jan. 27 to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council to change the zoning map so that the area formerly defined as the Central Business District (CBD) becomes Main Street Commercial (MSC), while retaining the CBD language in the municipal code as an unused option.

Commissioners opened a public hearing on the proposal at 7:03 p.m. Kenyan Anderson, a property owner at the corner of 100 East and Main Street, spoke in favor of the change, saying the CBD language and character expectations (including an older "1800s" architectural preference and a 30-foot height allowance) were out of step with his view of Main Street development: "I support removing the central business district," Anderson said, adding that he preferred a more modern look and noted concerns about height limits and how examples on the map matched existing buildings.

Staff outlined the proposed package as a combined code-language amendment and zoning-map change. According to staff, the draft would convert nearly the entire mapped CBD to MSC except for a limited northern portion on Center Street; the code changes would align definitions and references to the zoning map. Staff advised commissioners that if they make a recommendation it should reference both the code-language amendments and the zoning-map change so the ordinance packet is complete for Council consideration.

Commissioners discussed whether to repeal the CBD text outright or leave it in the code as an unused zone that could be revisited during a future general-plan update. Several said that, while CBD and MSC are similar in many technical respects, a later, more deliberate visioning process might be the appropriate time to refine character, setbacks and other detailed standards. The motion accepted by the commission recommended the zoning-map change while keeping the CBD language in the code unused, to preserve an option for future policy work.

A roll-call vote recorded Commissioners Mook, Nixon, Wood, Hoffman and Waite as "Yes." The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hoffman and carried unanimously. The commission will forward its positive recommendation and the matter proceeds to the City Council for final action.

The City Council will receive the Planning Commission's recommendation; staff indicated the draft ordinance needs a technical edit to ensure the code-language amendments and zoning map are explicitly linked before Council consideration.