Senate Bill 1537 (the variance bill): On January 24, the Planning Division submitted a 25-part questionnaire to the Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO) with the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), requesting an exemption from the “Mandatory Adjustments” required in Section 38 of Senate Bill 1537. SB 1537 requires cities to grant adjustments to specified development standards for qualified housing development proposals. The intention of the senate bill is to help increase housing production, affordability, and choice. Section 39 of SB 1537 allows HAPO to grant exemptions for cities that can show they’ve already approved at least 90 percent of the adjustments/variances received over the last five years. In completing the questionnaire, the City of Sandy showed a 100 percent approval of all 35 requested “adjustments and variances” to housing projects over the last five years. HAPO will take up to 120 days to render a decision on if the City of Sandy’s request for an exemption is approved. There will be a public comment period of 45 days. In the meantime, the City of Sandy was required to contact all contractors and builders to let them know that the City is awaiting a decision on the SB 1537 exemption request, and was required to create a webpage.

Building Division Update:
Permits Issued = 49
C of O’s Issued = 4 for new single family homes, 1 new duplex, and Sandy Underground
ERUs Issued = 14 for single family homes and duplexes

Eagle Park Façade Improvements: The Planning Division recently engaged with the owners of Eagle Park, the industrial park located on the southeast corner of Hwy 26 and 362nd Drive to assess the time frame on the completion of façade improvements that are part of a ten-year-old development agreement. The property includes six (6) buildings (see the below site plan). The Eagle Park Façade Improvements are directly linked to the owner’s zone change request in 2014. The owners request for a zone change from Light Industrial (I-2) to Industrial Park (I-1) was approved with the condition they go through a design review that would require a comprehensive upgrade of all building façades on the industrial campus. 

The approved building modifications incorporate Sandy Style design elements into the facades of these highly visible buildings (visible on Highway 26, 362nd Drive, and Industrial Way). In addition, the building modifications would allow for more diverse commercial uses with the eventual zone amendment to Industrial Park (I-1). After multiple extensions to the original final order were granted, the City is actively reviewing the progress and overall project parameters so that we can assist in bringing compliance to the project so all the conditions and goals of the development agreement will be accomplished. At this time, the zoning designation for the property will remain I-2, Light Industrial, until all of the conditions contained in the original order are completed.

Sandy Plaza Apartments: The developers of the Sandy Plaza Apartments have reached out to the City to inform us that they are preparing to re-start the eighteen (18) unit apartment complex after construction was halted several years ago. The apartments will be located north of Meeker Street and directly abut the Sandy High School athletic field drop off area. The Planning Division has met with multiple departments that are involved with the project to get their input on the halted stage of development. After gathering their input and reviewing the file, final order, and fees, staff sent a synopsis to the developer for their review. The developer is reviewing all of the comments compiled by the City departments.

2025-2027 Planning Commission Goals Discussion: On January 13, 2025, the Planning Division presented the Planning Commission with four pages of actions and policies taken directly from the Envision Sandy 2050 Comprehensive Plan, seeking input from the Commission on what to target for the remainder of the current biennium and biennial budget 2025-2027. The list of goals, policies, and actions that the Planning Division and Commission compiled were then shared with the City Council at their retreat and goal setting session on February 1.

Code Enforcement Report:

• 10 citations were issued in January for a property on Dubarko Road for junk accumulation. The City abated the issue after no action was taken by the property owner. 
• A house on Bluff Road south of Highway 26 remains boarded up and declared unsafe by the Building Official. The property has been sold to new owners who plan to renovate the existing house.
• An abatement notice for a derelict motorhome has been posted at a property on Barker Court. The City will remove the derelict motorhome and lien the property after a 10-day abatement notice period.
• McDonald’s restaurant was ordered to install a bicycle rack in compliance with the final order for when the remodel occurred a few years ago. They have completed the installation of the bicycle rack.