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Senior housing ordinance approved after tight council vote

Mar 17, 2021 11:33AM ● By Travis Barton

By Travis Barton | [email protected]

In a tight 4-3 decision, the West Valley City Council voted to approve a change to city code that would effectively provide more opportunities for developers to apply for smaller home senior housing developments. 

“I want a little bit more senior or over 55 housing in our city,” said Mayor Ron Bigelow during a January council meeting. “Because I think we need more of that so when people get to that point, they don’t move out of the city.” 

The change means properties along an 80-foot right of way where exempt housing is proposed be allowed to apply for a multiple unit dwelling residential zone. Exempt housing is limited to 55 and over housing. This would allow more chances for smaller home senior housing developments. The Planning Commission recommended the density be capped at seven units per acre. 

Bigelow said he wanted this to only apply to senior housing since he felt there was a lack of senior housing in the city. 

There are currently four senior housing developments in the city: Valley Vu Villas (3561 S. 4800 West), Hunter Villas (3260 S. Hunter Villa Lane), Reunion Woods (3639 S. 5600 West), and Majestic Villas (3151 S. 7200 West). The highest density development was Valley Vu with 6.8 units per acre.  

As of 2018, 17% of the city’s population was aged 55 or older, according to a city report. It also states that over the next 10 years, just over 15,000 more residents will fall into the same age range.

The application came from Randy Moore, who told the council during a January council meeting there were two parcels he wished to develop, but couldn’t do so based on the 80-foot right of way ordinance. He also said he was confused at various restrictions on this zone and how it would benefit land use planning.  

“It seems to be such a broad brush over the city,” he said during that meeting. 

Under the previous city code, these types of developments could only be built on roads such as 5600 West, 2700 West, Redwood Road and 3500 South. The newly approved code would allow these developments on certain properties along streets such as 7200 West, 4800 West, 4000 West or 2700 South. 

Councilmembers expressed concern at the effect this would have on the rest of the city. City officials indicated this would make 12 locations eligible for senior housing. 

Councilmembers were also worried about the effects on neighboring communities, traffic and tailoring to a specific developer’s wishes.  

The vote came one week after the decision was delayed for the council to learn more about the proposed change. Bigelow said he visited the other four developments over the week, noting parking and traffic didn’t seem to be issues, and that they are all fully occupied. 

Moore, who began this process a year ago, said it would be “highly unlikely” for these developments to move away from the senior housing designation. He pointed to the current four senior housing developments as examples of that not happening (all four have been built after 2000 and remained so). 

He also identified how this type of housing (smaller homes, no yards) are geared and marketed toward seniors. If it ever transitioned away from that demographic, “it would upset the residents tremendously.” 

“I don’t see a rush of properties coming for this zone,” Moore said. The density is lower than a townhome so they are “less viable” to develop and in land value. 

“This change would give an extremely narrow ability for (maybe) a couple of these developments to come forward,” he said. 

Councilwoman Karen Lang included in the code a requirement that the only 12 properties eligible are those vacant at the time of the ordinance change. This gives the council the ability to address each potential development rather than simply throwing open the front door and awaiting the impacts.. 

“I see it better as a precaution instead of just open the flood gates and not see what this does to us on the long term scale,” Lang said.