July 2025 | Vol. 22 Iss. 7
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Midvale
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Harvest Days
Annual festival to start July 28 with block parties Page 5
Los Muros on Main
Five murals added to Historic Main Street
Page 6
A postponement and a denial for two Midvale rezone requests By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Resident input is expected to guide the final decision for a rezone on 900 East.
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wo rezone applications came before the Midvale City Council at the end of May and neighboring residents fiercely opposed both requests. One proposal would add a Regional Commercial Residential Overlay Zone to the property located at 7001 S. 900 East. It is currently zoned for Regional Commercial but developers want to add housing units to the property, with retail availability on the first floor. Residents from the Essex Court Condominiums, located east of the rezone request, expressed concern that a housing concept would increase traffic along 900 East, a road they already consider to be dangerous. Plus, the proposal accesses the egress to the Essex community, leaving hundreds of residents with only one way in or out of the area. “This change may seem like progress on paper, but in reality, it would come at a high cost, especially in terms of safety and quality of life for the people who live in this area,” said Essex Court resident Megan Theorine. “Increased traffic from a high-density development will only add to the danger. It’s about preventing accidents, injuries and even tragedy. We should not move forward with a development plan that clearly compromises safety.” The proposed six-story development
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A proposed rezone of the property at 7001 S. 900 East would allow the construction of the Midvale Fort Union Apartments, a 52feet to 64-feet-tall, multi-use development. The Midvale City Council tabled the rezone discussion to address residents’ concerns about traffic. (Renderings courtesy of Midvale) would include apartments, parking, open space and retail shops. In the past, the property has hosted commercial office space, but the Union Center Plaza burned down in 2021 and nothing has been rebuilt on the property. Midvale City Councilmember Bonnie Billings spent time driving and walking through the property and talking to resi-
dents about their concerns. She suggested the rezone vote be tabled until a development agreement could be created that included a traffic study. “With the combined units being proposed in this, 140 with the 72 units existing at Essex Court, you’re looking at about 215 units that one single access point is going to have to serve for this space,” Billings
said. “It’s going into a very busy roadway that already sees significant congestion.” Real estate developer and rezone applicant, Adam Paul, agreed to negotiate a development agreement and the rezone request was tabled until the agreement is finalized. Continued page 4