A 90-unit apartment complex is one step closer to construction in Smithfield. Last night the Smithfield City Council voted to rezone the property behind Lee’s Marketplace to multi-family residential. The proposed design would be townhouse-like apartments with clubhouse, swimming pool, and large green spaces.

According to the owner/developer, Lowell King, the plan is to build the apartments on the west side of 250 East (just south of the townhomes). A private street is also planned from Main Street, along the south end of the strip mall, past the apartments, and connecting to 250 East.

There was little direct opposition during the public hearing, yet there was a lot of hesitation to just approve the change. The area east of the highway is mainly agricultural with large swaths of land and few homes. It is assumed that commercial development around Main Street will continue to grow. It seems unlikely that people will want to build large lot housing so close to businesses.

The apartments could be seen as a buffer between the commercial developments and future subdivisions and agricultural area to the east. The council deliberated for a long, long time over the matter. In the end, the three council members present — Barbara Kent, Michael Oliverson, and Brent Buttars — voted to approve the change.

Four-plex downtown

Lowell and Nanette King also received a rezone to property at 134 North and 100 West. The council approved changing it from Single Family Residential to Multiple Family Residential. The land has frontage on 100 West, but extends east through the block all the way to the commercial property that front Main Street. The King’s would like to build a four-plex to fully utilize the entire parcel.

Small change

The council also made a slight change to property at 314 West and 100 North reducing the lot requirement from 12,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet. Joseph Chambers wants to attempt to buy the odd-shaped land and subdivide it into three lots.

House sign

The council approved Heather Overly’s request to place a business sign for her preschool in the window of her home. The law states that the question needed to come before the council for approval. City Recorder Dean Clegg said that they missed that provision when cleaning the ordinances and that the council should consider changing the ordinance to allow the city administration to approve these requests.

Clegg said the ordinance limited the sign to only two square feet.

Refunding water bonds

The city owes $1.517 million for a bond used to build the water storage tank in dry canyon. There are 15 years left on the bond at a rate of 5 percent. City Manager Jim Gass said they found a company willing to buy bonds at an interest rate of only 3.5 to 4 percent. The council authorized Mayor Darrell Simmons to pursue refinancing the loan if a lower rate can be achieved. It is expected that they can save $100,000 over the remaining life of the loan.