Planning commission unanimously approves Wasach Hill preliminary plat, adds trail easement condition

The North Ogden City Planning Commission voted unanimously to grant preliminary plat approval for the Wasach Hill subdivision, a one‑lot proposal on roughly 25.41 acres in the Hillside Protection 3 zone at 3750 North and 150 East.

Scott Hes, the city’s community and economic development director, told commissioners the proposal would formalize access and dedicate a small cul‑de‑sac turnaround at the end of Michelle Lane and create a long private water lateral that would serve the eventual home. Hes said the plat clears a title issue by incorporating a small triangular parcel to provide frontage and access for the lot and that staff found the application meets the code requirements for frontage, setbacks and the HP3 zoning minimums.

Commissioners focused considerable discussion on access and connectivity to adjacent properties. Hes said the staff recommendation included a condition to provide “at minimum a 20‑foot‑wide trail easement connecting Michelle Lane to the east and north with a coordinated connection to the Bonavville Shoreline Trail.” He explained a separate 60‑foot right‑of‑way easement along the south boundary is shown as a potential future roadway easement to avoid landlocking adjacent parcels but does not obligate the subdivider to construct a public road.

Applicant representative Cecil Sadithweight, speaking for Justin and Aaron Atkinson, confirmed the immediate intent is to file for a building permit for a single home this summer and said any future subdivision would likely be family‑oriented and could be considered many years down the road. Sadithweight said the applicant supports moving the user‑created trail into an easement so it coordinates with adjacent properties and connects to the Bonavville Shoreline Trail network.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that if future lots are created and the roadway remains private, an administrative minor subdivision process could allow up to 10 lots without returning to Planning Commission; commissioners requested that the expected trail connection be added as a condition of approval to ensure the easement is recorded and coordinated with neighboring properties.

A motion to grant preliminary plat approval “subject to the conditions listed in the staff report,” including the trail easement, passed with an affirmative roll call from Commissioners Gardner, Green, Swanson, Settleer, Jorgensson and the Chair. The approval authorizes recordation of the preliminary plat so the applicant can pursue a building permit; the final plat and any subsequent subdivision will be governed by the city’s subdivision and HP3 zone standards.

The commission’s action was procedural; no land use variances or development agreement changes were requested or granted. Short‑term next steps: the applicant may record the plat and pursue a building permit, and staff will verify that the trail easement and cul‑de‑sac dedication are shown on the recorded documents as a condition of approval.