Commission moves to recommend Willow Fields MDA amendment, swapping open-space dedication for fee-in-lieu

The Grantsville Planning Commission considered an amended and reinstated master development agreement (MDA) for Willow Fields on June 2, which staff said revises the original agreement approved by resolutions in 2022.

Shelby (city staff) told commissioners the amendment replaces a planned land dedication for open space with “a fee in lieu” after the developer stopped building out the original five-acre portion; Shelby said this reflects reduced value of the dedicated land in its current undeveloped condition. Shelby also described added easements for the road and sewer and said most lots otherwise meet code.

Shelby explained that the original MDA included a timetable for buildout and that the PUD would lapse after a stated deadline if the developer did not complete the project and would need reapplication. Commissioners asked about wetlands and financial reasons for the delay; Shelby confirmed wetlands concerns and financial constraints caused the halt in construction.

Commissioner Gary moved that the planning commission recommend approval of the amended Willow Fields MDA to the city council, with the conditions in the staff report and a modification to the date in section 1.2 (the motion text references changing the date to 2035 and an additional date mentioned as 3035). The motion text was recorded in the transcript; a roll-call vote or final tally is not included in this excerpt.

Next steps: the commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the city council for its consideration and any final action. Any council decision, conditions, or updated dates will be reflected in future meeting records and staff reports.