Commission tables 'Bash Man Caves' site plan after questions about rentals and storm drainage

The Hurricane City Planning Commission on Thursday agreed to table the preliminary site plan and preliminary plat for a mixed-use development known in staff materials as "Bash Man Caves" after staff and commissioners flagged unresolved issues including storm-drainage, access and whether the clustered commercial units would constitute short-term rental use in the planned-commercial zone.

Planning staff described the project as a mixed-use building with ground-floor office/retail space, 42 residential units above and a set of smaller commercial units on the west side labeled "man caves." The applicant's agent said the development includes office space and residential units and that engineering comments had been addressed to staff's satisfaction in part, but that some coordination with adjacent parcels remains.

Commissioners and engineering staff raised cross-access and storm-drainage questions and noted that the Ash Creek Special Service District and neighboring owners may need to coordinate access connections. "There is a possibility that they could just move connect parking lots real simply, and people can get in and out of there on more of a residential street," an engineering representative said, noting additional coordination would be required.

A planning commissioner also flagged a use question: short-term rentals are not a permitted use in planned-commercial zoning, and the "man caves" were described in public discussion as available for nightly rental. Staff acknowledged the site plan did not explicitly list short-term rentals and recommended the applicant and staff clarify allowed uses before proceeding.

At the applicant's request, a commissioner moved to table PSP24-36 and PP24-34 to allow staff and the applicant to clarify the nightly commercial rental question and to get more information about storm drains and access. The motion carried.

What happens next: Staff will work with the applicant and engineering to resolve the use classification, finalize storm-drain and access solutions, and return the project when construction drawings are ready for further review. The commission recorded a motion to table the item and directed staff to report back on those issues.