Ogden council creates mixed-use zone

BY SCOTT SCHWEBKE
Standard-Examiner staff
sschwebke@standard.net

OGDEN — After a spirited debate, the Ogden City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday night establishing a mixed-use zone that can be applied in two areas of Ogden.

The council agreed to allow the new zone to be used downtown and in redevelopment areas, such as property that includes the Ogden River Project. However, the council stopped short of allowing it to be extended to other parts of the city.
Several council members said they felt uncomfortable expanding application of the zone without further study.

“I’m not sure we have had time to look it over,” Councilwoman Susan Van Hooser said.
The council agreed to hold a work session on July 12 to review expanding the zone’s use.

Greg Montgomery, the city’s planning manager, said it’s important the council enact the ordinance quickly to coincide with the conclusion of a moratorium set to expire June 19 on development within the second and third phases of the Ogden River Project.
Council men Brandon Stephenson and Rick Safsten argued that limiting application of the mixed-use zone to only the downtown and redevelopment areas was unfair to potential projects in other parts of the city.

“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Safsten said.

Mayor Matthew Godfrey interrupted the council’s debate and said it doesn’t make sense to limit application of the ordinance.

There will be plenty of opportunity to determine where to apply the mixed-use zone as projects are presented to the council for approval, he said.
In addition to being used for downtown and redevelopment districts, the zone could also be applied to up to 15 locations throughout the city.

Establishment of a mixeduse zone would allow multifamily dwellings, commercial and retail buildings, cultural facilities and open space to be combined into a single development, Montgomery said.

The concept is already being allowed informally at The Junction development, under construction downtown, and could be applied to the Ogden River Project, scheduled to eventually encompass about 60 acres from Washington Boulevard west to Wall Avenue, he said.

The mixed-use zone could also be applied to a multimillion-dollar project proposed by would-be developer Chris Peterson that includes the purchase of Mount Ogden Golf Course from the city to make way for an upscale subdivision on some of the property.
However, Montgomery has denied that the ordinance is aimed primarily at Peterson’s project.

The ordinance’s language was originally drawn up by Peterson’s attorney and then refined by the planning commission and a city attorney.