KAYSVILLE — Representatives from Destination Homes got an enthusiastic response from the Kaysville City Council when they presented their plans to transform the Far West Motel site into a block of townhomes.

The developers of such areas as Daybreak in South Jordan and Spring Creek in Farmington hope to build 37 units on the nearly three-acre parcel and will be addressing the city’s planning commission in a few weeks to begin the approval process.

Brad Wilson and David Bailey, both residents of Kaysville, began the company in 2001 and have built almost 1,300 single- and multi-family homes in three Utah counties since then.

Wilson, CEO of the Layton-based company, said they’ve seen a need for the type of housing they propose in Kaysville.

The townhomes, which would be offered in one, two and three bedroom units, would appeal to three types of buyers, according to their research: the “upward bound” who are married with dual incomes, those “boomtown singles” who are young professionals, and the “up and comers” for whom the townhomes are a stepping stone.

The units are expected to be priced at under $200,000.

Wilson said they had been in negotiations for six months for the motel property, and put it under contract two weeks ago pending approvals by the city.

The motel, located at 410 North Main Street, was the site of a domestic violence incident recently that resulted in a death.

Wilson said the new development could be the “north bookend of the retail area,” and put “37 households shopping here, living here, walking across the street for dinner and adding to the fabric of what Kaysville is.”

He said the design of the townhomes, which was created by Urban Design Associates of Pennsylvania, has classic architectural lines and would be a development that the city would be proud to have.

“There is a lot of character in the design,” said Bailey. “The height of the building, the dormers and the chimneys – they’ve created some pretty neat spaces.”

Porches will open to a large park area between two rows of houses, and another row of homes will back up to Kays Creek.

Mayor Steve Hiatt called the proposal a “very dramatic upgrade,” with Gil Miller, city council member, supporting it as a “fabulous project.”

Scott Simpson, a resident near the proposed project and a former member of the planning commission, who had opposed increasing density in the area, also spoke in support of the project.

“I commend you for adding vision to a space that’s kind of hard to find vision for,” said Simpson. “I think it’s a decent address to what is a significant issue and wholly support this. The council should be running not walking to get this project going,” he said.

Bailey said if the city gives the go-ahead, they’ll start the first building while improvements are being done. “We’re that anxious about it,” he said. “We’d like to build simultaneously to get a head start.”