Karl Malone Powersports is seeking a zoning change in Heber City to create more employee parking. So, officials are considering whether that would increase noise impacts on neighbors or further decrease property values.
The zoning adjustment would change a property at 90 W 300 N from residential to commercial. David Hicks from the Karl Malone Group said immediate plans would include increased employee parking.
Employees currently park on the street, and the change would allow them to leave vehicles on-site, he said. There are no immediate plans to pursue a building expansion.
Heber City resident Angie Mathis lives across the street from the commercial building. She said her preference would be for Karl Malone Powersports to build a new structure. It would further stifle sound from the inherently noisy business, which sells ATVs, UTVs, motorcycles, scooters, watercraft and snowmobiles, for a start.
Even with the 8-foot-tall masonry wall that’s in place between the dealership and residential properties, Mathis said sound still comes through.
“I mean, you cannot sell ATVs and everything, and bikes, dirt bikes and things, without it being noisy,” Mathis said.
Mathis would prefer no zoning change at all, but rather more housing for people in the Heber Valley.
“Second choice would be, if you are going to have that property, for a structure to be on it because that would provide some absorption of the sound,” Mathis said.
When the property last had a zoning change, conditions were in place to ensure Karl Malone Powersports had adequate fencing. Tree planting was also offered to nearby property owners.
Now, there will be requirements for street improvements, including curb, gutter and sidewalk work as well as landscaping.
Heber City Planning Commission Chair Phil Jordan said there has been plenty of talk about commercial boundaries impacted by the growing city. Residents are most commonly impacted.
“I really understand the distinction between a wall and its ability to inhibit sound travel versus structure,” Jordan said.
Hicks said there are options to build in the future. That’s why the group purchased the 90 W 300 N property — for flexibility that aligns with the business’ needs.
Planning Commission Vice Chair Tori Broughton said plenty of public commenters have come forward to discuss the idea that their property values could be lowered in similar instances.
“This is probably one of the first things that I actually agree,” Broughton said. “I think that it’s going to be hard to make a decision on something that’s not going to lower her property value.”
Broughton referred to Mathis’ home.
“I know that’s not necessarily our role to preserve people’s property values. But, I think in this situation, we have to be really careful and thoughtful about how we decide to move forward on this one.”
Planning commissioners moved to table the discussion for a future meeting.