HolladayDigest

• Conditional use permit

  for a water treatment facility in the Public (P) zone at 4772 S Nanaloa Drive.

• Site history

  • The water tank has been on the site since 1962.
  • Water from Casto Springs and Dry Creek Springs was treated there until the 1990s. At that point the springs were found to be "under the influence of surface water," which made the existing treatment inadequate.
  • Since then, the spring water has been discharged into the canal behind the property.
  • The district now wants to treat and use that water again because water is becoming scarcer.

• Proposed buildings

  • A filtration building west of (behind) the tank, about 16 feet tall. The zone allows 45 feet.
  • A chemical storage building on the north side of the site.
  • Setbacks are 20 feet on the sides and 30 feet in the rear. A residential lot would require 8 feet and 22 feet.

• Noise

  • The air compressor will be in the building's basement.
  • Backwash pumps will sit in an underground vault and run only occasionally, about half an hour at a time.
  • Insulated doors will dampen sound.
  • The applicant expects no audible noise at the property line. Salt Lake County's residential limit, which city code references, is 50 decibels.

• Odor and safety

  • Chlorine will be stored as liquid sodium hypochlorite, similar to bleach, rather than the chlorine gas used on the site in the past.
  • The applicant said it would switch to an alternative chemical if odor becomes a problem.
  • The state Division of Drinking Water inspects the facility annually.
  • The Fire Marshal reviewed the plans and raised no concerns.

• Traffic

  • Two chemicals arrive by small tanker truck, about once a month each.
  • Three others arrive in totes or drums only a few times a year.
  • An employee will be on site about 1–2 hours a day.

• Appearance

  The applicant plans architectural panels instead of plain walls, added landscaping along the street frontage, and buildings kept as low as possible.

• Timeline

  Bidding is expected in early 2027, followed by one to two years of construction.

• Staff findings

  The city's Technical Review Committee found the proposal consistent with the general plan, the zone standards, and the character of the area.

The Commission approved the conditional use permit for Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District's public utility treatment facility at 4772 Nanaloa Drive. The approval is based on staff findings 1–11 and includes three conditions:

• Post emergency contact signage on the gate.

• Comply with the city and Salt Lake County noise standards and health department regulations on noise and odor.

• Cooperate fully with any investigation of a complaint and fix any problem it identifies.

This decision is final and does not go to the City Council.

• Approve the conditional use permit with the conditions above

  Moved / SecondedCunningham / BryantOutcomePassedRecorded VotesBunyan – Aye; Cunningham – Aye; Chair Roach – Aye

• Adjourn

  Moved / SecondedChair RoachOutcomePassedRecorded VotesAll in favor

• Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

  • Post emergency contact signs on the site gate.
  • Meet noise standards at the property line. The district said it would stop operating the facility until it could correct any exceedance.
  • Address odor complaints, including by switching chemicals if needed.
  • Keep the site free of trash.

• City staff

  Confirm the date of the November meeting, scheduled for the week after Election Day. One application has been received for that meeting.

Public comment. Five residents spoke.

• Suzanne Dutrey

  (4762 Nanaloa Drive, the home just to the north):

  • Said the chemical building would be about 20 feet from her property line.
  • Questioned the project's roughly $14 million cost and asked whether a cost-benefit analysis has been done.
  • Estimated her own water bill would rise about 20%.
  • Asked how much water the springs would yield in average and dry years, given the district's estimate of up to 5 million gallons per day when the springs are flowing.
  • Raised concerns about truck traffic on streets used by walkers and children.
  • Concluded that the facility "does not belong in our neighborhood."
  • The Chair noted that water rates and costs fall outside the Commission's land-use review.

• Karen Melby-Teerlink

  (southwest of the site):

  • Said she is not opposed to the plant itself but is concerned about ongoing equipment noise.
  • Asked for enforceable noise limits, independent monitoring, and required corrective action.
  • Asked to visit the district's comparable sites to hear the noise for herself.

• Wayne Larson

  (northwest of the site): Agreed with the noise concerns and asked for enforceable requirements to correct odor problems.

• Dan Risch

  (directly west, about 70 feet away): Concerned about seeing the filtration building from his backyard and about noise.

• Ken Mars

  (directly south):

  • Concerned about the view from his patio and about his property value.
  • Asked whether water discharged to the canal would be chlorinated.
  • Recalled earlier late-night drilling noise at the site.

Applicant response.

• After treatment begins, the spring water will go into the district's system instead of the canal.

• The canal has other water sources and will not dry out without the district's discharge.

• Crews visit the site daily and will respond promptly to trash or other issues.