Plans to build a for-sale townhome development in Liberty Wells got favorable marks from city officials last week.
The Wells on 5th project, located along 500 East between Hollywood and Redondo avenues, would add 22 townhomes to the site of the former Wells Ward — a historic ward building for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that became the neighborhood’s namesake. The land totals 1.03 acres and is currently zoned as R-1-5000, which is a single-family zone.
Last week, the Salt Lake City Planning Commission voted to give the plan favorable recommendations to the city council for both a zoning map amendment and a general plan amendment.
Cassie Younger, a senior planner with Salt Lake City, presented the plan to the commission, outlining the proposed rezone from R-1-5000 to RMF-35. The general plan amendment would change the subject area in the Central Community Future Land Use Map from low density residential to medium density residential.
The Wells Ward meetinghouse was built in 1926, according to planning commission materials, and the historic building was heavily damaged during an earthquake in March 2020. The LDS Church later listed the building for sale in 2023 for $1.6 million. The listing included a note that required any potential buyer of the site to tear it down.
Just before the building was scheduled to be demolished, the building caught fire and burned down in May 2024. The lot has remained vacant since.
The former Wells Ward meetinghouse. Photo by LDS Architecture
Younger said the Wells on 5th project consists of 22 townhome units that would each have four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. Each unit would be for sale and would also have a two-car garage. The complex would also have over 12,000 square feet of open space and a playground.
Though the maximum height allowed in the RMF-35 zone is 35 feet, the plans only call for buildings around 30 feet in height. Younger added that attached single-family homes are not allowed under the current zoning, hence the request to rezone to RMF-35. The density for the project would be around 21.3 acres per unit, which is why the proposal is requesting a general plan amendment to medium density residential.
Commissioner Anna Sullivan asked Younger about proposed price points for the units, as Sullivan pointed to public comments that noted each unit could be listed for roughly $580,000. Younger said that figure came from a meeting at the Liberty Wells Community Council.
Hayley Pratt, a partner at Castlewood Development, the company behind the proposal, told the commission the project creates for-sale units close to parks, schools and transit — all without displacing any residents from their homes. She also noted that the project cut down the number of proposed units from 24 to 22, which allowed the development to add space between the buildings and the western property line.
A handful of commenters at the meeting were concerned about the proposed density near single-family homes, while other neighbors said they wanted the parcel to be developed into more desirable homes. Commissioner Aimee Burrows said she appreciated the input, but she pointed out that these units would be filled with new neighbors, and many people will view these rowhomes as desirable.
Sullivan said that after visiting the site, she noted how close the parcel is to 2100 South. She said the location is ideal for this type of new development, adding that the project is also close to bus stops along 2100 South and within walking distance to UTA’s S-Line streetcar.
Commissioner Lilah Rosenfield, who works as a service planner for UTA, emphasized how close this project is to transit lines. She said the development is about a block away from stops for Route 205, which goes north and south, and Route 21, which goes east and west.
“I think that, in terms of proximity to transit and in terms of the ability to live a lifestyle that’s lower car or no car, there’s a real opportunity here for community members,” Rosenfield said. Though she took issue with the amount of parking included in plans, Rosenfield acknowledged that was part of the community’s requests for the development.
Commissioners later voted unanimously to forward positive recommendations on both the rezone and general plan changes to the city council. The Salt Lake City Council will have the ultimate say on the project, though it’s not clear when the council could discuss the proposal or vote on it.
0 Comments