The recent rezoning of 170 acres on the city’s west side is the first step in the creation of the long planned-for Shorelands Commerce Park. However, the actual owners of the different parcels of property are still only in very early stages of discussion about developing the area.
City staff estimates that it will take several years for the infrastructure (utilities, roads) to be put into the property, which is located just north of Centerville’s current business park, and the timeline for any further development will be dependent on the economy.
“We’ve had some preliminary talks with owners, but nothing concrete,” said Centerville City Manager Steve Thacker. “They’ll have to gauge how soon they think they can make an investment in infrastructure that they’ll get a return on.”
City staff have talked to representatives of the Hormon trust, which owns the largest parcel of property in the 170 acres, about some preliminary issues related to drainage for the property. Any plans for the area, however, are very conceptual at this point.
“They didn’t tell us how soon they planned to proceed,” said Thacker. “My impression is that they’ll want to move forward as soon as the economy allows, but the next step is up to them.”
There has also been some very early stages of construction on a frontage road that would connect both Centerville’s existing business park and the new Shorelands Commerce Park to southern Farmington. The road, which would run alongside Legacy Parkway, would allow greater access into both business parks.
The frontage road proposal is different from the Sheep Road improvements that Centerville proposed several years ago and were strongly protested by the Sierra Club and other environmental groups. According to statements made by Sierra Club representatives at the time, they promised to continue to fight the project any time it was brought up.
The frontage road, however, shouldn’t have those kind of troubles. According to Thacker, UDOT made an agreement with Centerville a decade ago that they would support the creation of a frontage road. Also, the terms of the settlement agreement surrounding the construction of Legacy Parkway included an allowance for cities along the route to construct frontage roads such as this.
“The Sheep Road, if it ever happens, is a long-term project,” said Thacker. “The frontage road is our priority.”
jwardell@davisclipper.com
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