Traverse Mountain Area Plan Amendment- Perry Highway Commercial

Dear Lehi Planning Commission,
I am a long time resident (20+ years) of Traverse Mountain and I respectfully submit this comment in opposition to the proposed amendment to the Traverse Mountain Area Plan that would change approximately 633 West Sunrise Way from High Density Residential to Commercial.

I understand that development is necessary as Lehi continues to grow, and I respect the property rights of landowners and the work of developers. My concern is not with Perry or with commercial development in general. My concern is with changing an established master plan after residents have purchased their homes and built their lives around the expectations created by that plan.

The Traverse Mountain Area Plan was established to create a thoughtful balance between residential development, commercial uses, transportation, open space, and the overall quality of life of the community. When those designations are repeatedly changed parcel by parcel, the purpose and predictability of a master plan can be undermined.

This particular property is especially important because it directly fronts Timpanogos Highway and is surrounded by an already rapidly developing residential community. Converting the property from planned residential use to commercial use could bring additional traffic, vehicle trips, noise, lighting, parking, and other impacts into an area that is already experiencing substantial growth.

I also believe the Commission should carefully consider whether Perry has already utilized the development rights originally allocated to this portion of the Area Plan, and whether granting a new commercial entitlement represents an appropriate exchange for the community. If the City is being asked to provide additional development rights beyond what was originally contemplated, I believe there should be a meaningful and lasting public benefit for the residents who will live with the consequences of that decision.

I respectfully ask the Planning Commission to consider the long-term precedent this amendment would establish. A master-planned community needs consistency and stability. Residents should be able to have confidence that the land-use framework they relied upon when purchasing their homes will not continually be changed whenever a different use becomes more economically advantageous.

Rather than adding another commercial development to this location, I would strongly encourage the City and the applicant to consider whether this property could provide a greater community benefit through preservation as open space, a neighborhood park, recreational space, or another amenity serving the families who already live in Traverse Mountain.

I respectfully ask the Planning Commission to recommend DENIAL of the proposed amendment and to preserve the existing High Density Residential designation unless and until a compelling, community-wide benefit has been demonstrated.

Thank you to the Planning Commission, City staff, residents, and the applicant for taking the time to consider the concerns of the community. I appreciate your service to Lehi and your responsibility to make decisions that protect the long-term interests and quality of life of the entire community.

Respectfully,

Robin Christensen

Dear Commissioners,
I respectfully add my voice to those that have spoken against the proposed plan to convert this housing space to commercial space by Perry Builders. As a 21 year resident, we have seen too many changes to the community we wanted to live in and would love to see the master plan we signed up for remain in tact as much as possible. Green space and community areas are essential to Traverse Mountain residents and our desire is that this area is preserved for that purpose.

Thank you for hearing our pleas and considering the needs of our residents. I appreciate all that you do to keep Lehi a beautiful place to live.

--Janelle Youngstrom

Please deny Perry Builders’ proposed amendment for this property. Many of us purchased our homes expecting development to follow the approved master plan, which provides stability and protects our community. Repeatedly converting planned residential areas into commercial sites undermines that plan and places additional traffic and development impacts on existing residents. This area would be better preserved for much-needed neighborhood open space, such as a park or other community amenity. I respectfully ask the Planning Commission to reject this proposal and uphold the commitments made to residents.

Commissioners - I'm aware that Perry Commercial & Perry Residential continues to shirk the bylaws of our city, swapping zoned parcels, doing as they please with little to no adherence to the master zoning. I'd prefer that your representation of my citizenship be to hold these groups accountable to our bylaws and regulations. Please see to it, that the parcels they (and all other developers) are currently working to change from residential to commercial remain as originally granted. Furthermore, I understand that this same group may not be providing the same level of granted public space and access that we would / should expect from them. Please hold them to ensure we develop our limited space with good stewardship, generational governance, and good will towards our fellow citizens.

Thank you for your service, and representation of my families' interests.

Kindly,

Brandon Floyd

Please consider denying this request. When we chose to purchase our home in Perry’s Crossing, we did so with the understanding that the community would develop according to the master plan that had already been established and approved.

Area plans exist to provide residents with predictability and to ensure thoughtful, long-term growth. If significant changes to those plans are continually approved, it raises the question of why these plans are created in the first place.

We strongly oppose this proposal and ask that you carefully consider the residents who live in this area and will be directly impacted by this decision. We believe preserving the existing residential plan is in the best interest of both the neighborhood and the broader community.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Camille Goldsmith

To the Lehi City Planning Commission,

My name is David Wilcox, and I am a homeowner in the Traverse Mountain community. I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed Area Plan Amendment for Perry D2 at 633 W Sunrise Way (converting 5 acres of residential land to commercial use).

As a resident who invested in a master-planned community, I ask you to recommend DENIAL of this application based on the following critical points:

Violates the Development Code ("Planning by Exception"): Lehi Development Code §06.030 explicitly dictates that Master Planned Communities must be planned as one cohesive complex rather than a piecemeal "aggregation of individual, unrelated buildings." This proposal represents the third commercial carve-out from this exact residential pod (following Central Bank in 2018 and the medical office in 2025). Using past exceptions to justify further carve-outs unravels the entire purpose of a master plan.

Zero Development Rights Remain: Under the 2012 Traverse Mountain Area Plan, Perry D was allocated 260 housing units and zero commercial acres. Perry has already fully monetized this land—spending all 260 units (plus borrowing 48 units from Area C) to construct the 308 apartments at The Vue. Commercial rights never existed here, and residential entitlements are completely spent. The City should not invent new vested rights out of thin air.

No "Extraordinary Contribution" Offered: Per Development Code §06.170, exceeding baseline plan standards requires an applicant to offer extraordinary public contributions. When other developers amended this Area Plan in 2019, the City rightfully required ~35 acres of open space and a permanent cut of 193 units. Perry is offering the community zero mitigation.

Playing Both Sides of Density: While Perry claims they need commercial land here, they are simultaneously pushing to convert commercial land into ultra-high-density residential space (49 units/acre at the Whole Foods site just a mile away). The community is left absorbing the negative impacts of whichever direction yields them maximum profit.

A Neighborhood Park is Needed, Not Another Strip Mall: Hundreds of families living in the surrounding Perry developments (The Vue, Ridgeview Townhomes, and Perry's Crossing) have no walkable park. Perry’s previous park contribution ended up 1.5 miles away near Fire Station 83. Because Perry has exhausted their development rights on this parcel, the proper, responsible choice for a Master Developer is to dedicate this land to Lehi City as usable open space—such as a neighborhood park or splash pad.

The 2012 Area Plan was a hard-won compromise that brought density down to preserve our community's quality of life. Bad planning and developer overreach should not be rewarded. I urge you to uphold the integrity of our Master Plan and recommend denial of this amendment.

Respectfully,

David Wilcox

Please reject this proposal of giving Perry new, additional and unearned developer rights in the Perry D parcel. The Perry D parcel was allocated 260 DU in the Traverse Mountain Area Plan. Perry used ALL of them plus 48 from the adjacent Perry C allocation to build The Vue apartments. So now, having left themselves 0 units in the Perry D residential-zoned area to develop, now they are coming to Lehi City to ask for additional rights to develop the property as highway commercial instead.

If this is approved, Perry gets free, unearned development rights without giving ANYTHING back to the surrounding community.

Lehi City might get some small amount of additional tax dollars in their coffers, but without giving any relief to the surrounding community from the added development impacts of traffic, safety, and declining character of the residential area.

But the surrounding existing Lehi City residents get nothing but impacts - more traffic, less security, and further reduction of the residential feel of the community.

Existing Lehi Residents will pay the full price for this granting of free rights to a developer - with dropping property values and more traffic impacts.

Lehi Residents bear the brunt of the impact while Perry gets new rights and Lehi City a bit more tax dollars. It’s definitely not a fair trade or in the best interest of Lehi Residents.

Instead of granting Perry free new development rights, without them providing any benefit whatsoever to the surrounding community in return, please reject this proposed area plan change and hold them to using their remaining existing rights in Parcel C to develop what’s left of their C and D parcels as planned.

Thank you!

Dear Commissioners,

May I remind Lehi City that Perry Homes has been less than upfront and honest about their contract with Geneva Rock in West Canyon. When asked point blank if their contract is time-based or quantity-based, representatives dodge the question. Why would Lehi City consider rewarding Perry Homes now?! Lehi City already gave Perry Homes a significant gift by looking the other way, calling it “mass grading” and allowing them to mine all these years. Instead of gifting Perry Homes this ask, how about requiring Perry Homes to follow through on their existing operations? Either mitigate and develop, or just mitigate. Whatever they choose they need to mitigate. No need to change the Area Plan. The existing Area Plan was a hard-won compromise where the City bought density DOWN from around 8,400 to 5,812.

Commercial entitlement never existed for plot. I believe their remaining residential rights is now 75 on this 16 acre parcel. Perhaps it is time that Perry Homes contribute to the neighborhood in the form of a neighborhood park, or gift some open space to Lehi City to build a park. Perry’s last park contribution was 1.5 miles away, unwalkable for hundreds of families in the Perry Planning District.

I urge Lehi City to DENY this ask of Perry Homes to make changes to the Area Plan.

Dear Commissioners,

I am a six-year resident of Traverse Mountain, and I am writing to respectfully express my opposition to the proposed amendment that would convert additional residential land in Traverse Mountain to commercial use.

The existing Area Plan established a certain balance between residential and commercial development in this area, and Perry has already utilized the development rights provided under that plan. I am concerned that granting additional commercial development rights would continue to shift that balance without providing a meaningful benefit to the residents who already live here.

Traverse Mountain and the surrounding areas have experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with significant development and increased housing density already underway. Given the amount of construction taking place throughout the area, I question whether adding another commercial or strip-mall development is truly what this community needs.

If additional development rights are going to be granted beyond what was originally planned, I believe the community should receive something of lasting value in return. Personally, I would much rather see this property become a public amenity—such as a neighborhood park, splash pad, playground, or community water feature.

My children are still young, and our family uses parks regularly. Having another quality park or family-oriented outdoor space within Traverse Mountain would be something we would genuinely use and appreciate. I know we are not the only family who feels this way. There are many young families living in both the homes and apartments throughout this area who would benefit from additional recreational space.

This seems particularly important as development continues to become denser and residential lots get smaller. While increased density is often presented as a way to make housing more attainable, smaller lots and higher-density development do not necessarily translate into more affordable homeownership. As a Realtor, I understand the complexities of housing affordability, and I believe community planning should consider not only how many homes can be built, but also the quality of life for the people who will live in them.

Traverse Mountain has already absorbed a tremendous amount of growth. At some point, responsible planning needs to include recognizing when enough development is enough and prioritizing the long-term livability of the community.

I respectfully ask the Commission to reject the proposed amendment and consider preserving this property for a community amenity that would benefit Traverse Mountain families for years to come.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Taylor Welch

Dear Commissioners,

I'm a 13-year resident of Traverse Mountain (TM), and I respectfully oppose the proposed amendment to convert additional residential land in TM to commercial use.

Perry has already utilized the development rights allocated to this area under the existing Area Plan. Granting additional commercial development rights now would further alter the balance established through the original planning process, without providing a corresponding benefit to the community.

Traverse Mountain and the surrounding area are already experiencing significant development and increased density. With so much development currently underway, I do not believe it makes sense to continue granting additional development rights—particularly for another commercial or strip-mall project.

If the City is considering allowing development beyond what was originally allotted, there should be a meaningful and lasting public benefit in return. I would strongly prefer to see this property preserved as a public amenity, such as a neighborhood park, splash pad, or community water feature similar to those available in other parts of Lehi. Although my kids are older and I have no grandkids, there are plenty of young families (homeowners and tenants) in this area that would benefit from such an amenity. This would be especially meaningful as lot sizes are consistently being reduced to accommodate higher-density housing, ostensibly to make homeownership more attainable. (As a Realtor, I recognize that increased density and smaller lots do not necessarily translate into more affordable or attainable homeownership.)

At some point, responsible planning must also mean recognizing when an area has absorbed enough development and prioritizing the quality of life of the residents who already live there.

Thank you,
SJSummers

Dear Planning Commissioners,

I am a 20-year resident of Traverse Mountain, and I ask you to recommend DENIAL of the Perry D2 Highway Commercial Area Plan Amendment.

1.) This is "planning by exception," which the Development Code prohibits. Chapter 6 requires a Planned Community to be "planned as one complex land use with a common architectural design theme... rather than an aggregation of individual, unrelated buildings located on separate, unrelated lots" (Dev Code 06.030). This is the third commercial carve-out from this same residential pod — Central Bank (2018), the medical office building (2025), and now D2. Each prior exception is being cited as justification for the next. That is precisely the pattern Section 06.030 was written to prevent.

2.) Perry is not an ordinary applicant — and has no remaining rights on this ground. Perry is the Declarant and one of the two successor Master Developers entrusted with stewarding Traverse Mountain — the role the Planned Community ordinance depends on most — yet this application is the opposite of what that role prescribes. The 2012 Area Plan allocated Perry D 260 dwelling units and zero commercial acres. Perry spent ALL 260 — and borrowed 48 more from neighboring Area C — building The Vue's 308 apartments. Every development right attached to this ground has been fully monetized. Please don't invent new vested rights from thin air.

3.) The Code sets a price for exceptions, and the City has enforced it before. Section 06.170 makes plan standards "baseline" and requires "extraordinary contributions" from any applicant seeking to exceed them, with the burden on the applicant. When Riverbend amended this same Area Plan in 2019, the City required roughly 35 acres of dedicated open space and the permanent removal of 193 units. Perry offers nothing — for the third time.

4.) There is a better use for this land. Several hundred households Perry built — the Vue's 308 apartments, Ridgeview Townhomes, and the Crossing — sit within a quarter mile of this parcel with no walkable park; Perry's prior park contribution is 1.5 miles away near Fire Station 83.

The right thing for a Master Developer to do with land when it has already used 100% of its vested development rights is simple: donate it to Lehi City as open space, for the community it built. That is what a genuine "extraordinary contribution" looks like.

The 2012 Traverse Mountain Area Plan was a hard-won compromise in which the City bought density down from ~8,400 to 5,812 units. Please hold this proposed Area Plan Amendment— and this applicant — to the standard Lehi's own Planned Community ordinance demands. Bad planning should not be rewarded.

Respectfully,
Rob Ludlow
Traverse Mountain resident (Woodhaven)