Layton staff present draft town‑center zoning code aimed at Gordon 89 area

City planners on March 19 walked the Layton City Council through a newly drafted town‑center zoning code intended to implement the Gordon 89 master plan and to serve as a template for future town‑center areas.

Weston Apolloni, the staff presenter, said the package — proposed as Title 19.28 of the municipal code — is “no light lift,” and that the goal is to have the ordinance back before the council next month after review by the planning commission. The draft creates subdistricts inside a single town‑center zone (commercial mixed use, two mixed‑use categories, townhome residential, neighborhood residential, detached residential and open space) and pairs rezonings with concept plans and development agreements so the city can require detailed commitments from developers.

Planner Brad walked council members through specific rules that would govern uses and form. Examples include limits on day‑care space in mixed‑use buildings (a ground‑floor cap and square‑foot thresholds), restrictions that allow multifamily only with specific development standards, and tables that distinguish permitted uses from those allowed only “with development standards.” Brad said the code relies on minimum transparency (fenestration) for ground‑floor storefronts, primary materials standards (discouraging thin veneer), and a set of architectural templates that emphasize a mountain‑modern commercial character and complementary residential styles.

A recurring policy question centered on automotive uses. Staff said the master plan intends gasoline retail to be an accessory to a grocery (fuel islands tied to grocers) rather than permitting stand‑alone gas stations in the pedestrian‑oriented core; planners noted two concept alternatives in the draft and said they will consider stronger code language to clarify when a gas station may be allowed. Weston told the council the code is intended to encourage a ‘‘park‑once’’ approach to reduce vehicle circulation inside the center while still providing access for drivers.

The draft also proposes an enhanced streetscape: an 8‑foot furnishing zone plus an 8‑foot sidewalk on arterials in town‑center areas, tree grates, decorative benches and provisions for street trees and trash receptacles (staff said they are still working through legal questions about maintenance responsibilities). Active‑transportation elements are included, but staff noted cost and maintenance tradeoffs between painted buffers and raised bike lanes.

Council members praised the level of detail and asked planners to tighten several sections, including clearer language about accessory gas‑station use, parking and the mechanics of temporary sales offices. Weston said staff will update the draft and bring it to the planning commission for their formal review before returning it to council for a vote.

The council did not vote on the ordinance at the March 19 work meeting; staff said they expect a follow‑up hearing and a formal council vote in a subsequent meeting.