Mike Rodriguez stated this is the Black Desert Resort of Entrada and we have seen similar discussions in the past for the conditional use permit for the temporary trailers on the site. This is the large parcel south of the horse roundabout and leaving Ivins. Patrick Manning will be giving us a description of the project. We did have this item with Sensitive Lands Committee on the agenda for this morning. Chuck Gillette stated yes, the sensitive lands map exhibit shows rock outcroppings. The rule in our ordinance says that any outcropping greater than 8000 sq ft is considered to be sensitive lands and essentially needs to be protected. In the past we have identified the lava fields as a grouping of multiple rock outcroppings instead of one single large outcropping due to the fact that the rock is covered by silty sand in many places and the rock doesn't necessarily pop out of the ground everywhere. We suggested it would be less effort on the applicant's part if he wanted to consider it to be one big rock outcropping. It could backfire if it does not fall into the requirements of disturbance limitations. The applicant is confident that there will be little disturbance even considered as one big rock outcropping and so that is how the amount of sensitive lands was quantified on this project. The gray hatch marks is the rock outcropping and the table shows that according to this map 80% of the rock outcropping is undisturbed and 20% of the rock outcropping is disturbed; 16% is disturbed by the golf course. 2% by the ponds and lakes, 1% by paths and 1.4% roads. In the Sensitive Lands Committee meeting we discussed whether the Western Corridor should be part of that disturbance and we felt like it should be so they suggested that before going to City Council for approval so we will need an exhibit showing the disturbance of the Western Corridor. The ordinance doesn't even consider disturbance as something to worry about until it gets over 30%, after that it suggests that you can decrease densities. Basically this proposes zero density in the lava fields. There is no density issue going on there. We are encouraged by the effort of the applicant to preserve the lava fields. Clearly, he has the right to disturb more of it and still meet our sensitive lands ordinance, but just to make sure that we follow proper procedures, we want to show that Western Corridor. We also asked in our motion this morning that he include additional disturbance for what would be required to construct the golf course and he has agreed to re-do this exhibit to show that. At Sensitive Lands meeting, it was recommended to move it forward with that motion. Chairman Bryan Pack inquired as far as the total percent of disturbance, do you feel those numbers are generally accurate? Chuck Gillette stated yes, other than the Western Corridor and some of the disturbance that might occur during construction, and even disturbance of what he has here will probably be restored. There is an argument that he is not destroying any vegetative area. Basically blasting rock outcroppings is what we would consider to be disturbance. They are not doing that. Blasting, putting dirt or grass on it, or putting a pond over it is disturbing it. He feels good about the numbers and he has met the requirements of the ordinance. Patrick Manning stated the purpose of this agenda item is a Class V Conditional Use Permit across the Ivins portion of Black Desert Resort of Entrada with focus on Phase 1, our resort center. A Development Agreement would require us to bring in beyond the first phase of the resort center, all of the appropriate items on the checklist for the Conditional Use Permit. Mike Rodriguez stated this is the introduction of this item after it was presented to TRC and Sensitive Lands Committee. There will be a number of discussions to go over the conditions that will need to be placed on the Conditional Use Permit and this is an opportunity to show what is being planned for the portion that resides in Ivins City. Patrick Manning stated this is roughly a 600 acre development that spans the southern part of Ivins across the lava flow and down to Pioneer Parkway through Santa Clara. The total acreage within Ivins is just under 250 acres. Of those 250 acres, we have 71% open space and 29% we consider developable area. That corresponds with the map just displayed. of the 168 acres of that lava preserve, we are looking to have just under 80% undisturbed. The whole purpose of Black Desert is to preserve that lava flow, not only as an icon for this resort, but to also be enjoyed by the public. Our plan includes a lot of trails through the lava flow that connect and interconnect with existing city trails including in to the Sand Hollow Wash and up to Johnson's Arch and Scout Cave and those trails will all be open to the public. Eventually, hopefully a trailhead right off the Western Corridor to allow easy access into those lava flows. Of the developable area, Resort Center which is Phase 1 is a 150-room hotel pushed back off of the horse roundabout and right up to the lava flow. Area 11 is a 150 room hotel and the first phase also includes the Tom Wieskopf designed golf course that is all the way through construction drawings now. There are three pools in Phase 1, one is roughly the length of a football field. There are 297 resort residences within Phase 1, and the overall density for this project in Ivins, even though there is not a density in resort commercial, we are what would generally be considered low and medium density at about 5 dwelling units per acre. Beyond the resort center, which has 24000 sq ft of convention space, multiple pools and multiple restaurants, the 297 residences, well-done spa, fitness and all the typical higher-end things you'd find in a resort center. Outside of the resort center, we have a series of villages. Stay and Play Village is a golf village that has golf-specific amenities like our Black Desert golf simulators and people can come in, even at night to come play the course. One simulator is completed so come by and play the Black Desert golf course virtually. Area 9 is the Corporate Retreat, where business corporations in northern Utah want a get-away for their employees, VIPs, investors, etc. Family Village with an almost 1200-ft-run lazy river that is bookended by two large pools with black sand beach entry pools. Culinary Village is where we have shops and restaurants on the first floor and higher-end focus on chefs' kitchen residences above and we are in serious negotiations with Wolf Sub-Zero about having a culinary school within this area. Everything along Parkway Village is limited to 17 ft height, flat roof, on one floor right as you come in. Everything beyond that is 15 ft so aggressively low-profile. Hide-away Village is a no-kids area with their own pool and fitness area at the quiet side of Black Desert. The lake off of the pool and hotel is the 19th green. His favorite part is that from the southern portion of the Family Village you can walk all the way through all the shops and retail, over a pedestrian bridge, over 3000 feet without going across a single vehicular street. So a very pedestrian-friendly desert boardwalk. As we come off the roundabout the road gently slopes down and by the time it gets to the pedestrian bridge, it is 14 feet below grade so 14 feet above roadway, and then reaches 15 to 20 feet below the roundabout before you get to the porte cochere of the hotel. Chairman Bryan Pack stated as far as shops, are those open to the public? Patrick Manning stated yes absolutely. Usually when you go to a town with millions of visitors per year there is an area that everyone knows about. We view this as delivering that area for the greater St. George and Zion area. This is very inclusive, the fun side of Entrada and the only thing that will be closed to the public would be the golf course after a few years when it matures it will become a resort course, which means you have to own there or be a guest at the hotel. The fitness center won't be open to the public. Otherwise all the restaurants and shops will be open to the public and very encouraged. In the Dropbox link that the City has, we have the application, the narrative with all the numbers and all the uses, which are hotel, golf course and related services, convention center, spa, fitness and wellness maybe light medical procedures and restaurants, retail-all boutique. Intentionally omitted from our uses are things like gas stations, grocery stores or any big-box type of retail. Culinary school, kids club which is kind of an adventure hub for resort guests and children and then things like vocal schools. We have the drainage report by Kuma Engineering. We have our plant list. Traffic and parking studies and utility impact studies and the narrative for all of those, and all updated consistent with this site plan. He then showed pictures to give a brief idea of how Resort Center would look. It is a minimalist and contemporary design. There is a glass staircase that goes up to the fine dining restaurant. All walls open to incorporate the pool and there is an area between the open air restaurant and the fine dining restaurant like a steakhouse. That is all looking into Snow Canyon and the red mountain. There is no visible parking. It is all underground and you won't see lots of cars. That was important to us to accomplish. There is a covered walkway leading from the convention center back toward the front door, to the porte cochere to the lobby/registration area. So this Resort Center is the only one we are looking to build that has three stories but it will be shielded from Snow Canyon Parkway because we have one story showing and as we get back to Resort Center we are about 18 feet below grade. You will not know it is three stories until you drive up onto it. Chairman Bryan Pack inquired are we far enough along and have enough information to have a public hearing? Mike Rodriguez suggested opening the public hearing because we have people that want to address the Commission and have some input on this and then continue it to hold it open for a future meeting and meanwhile we will start drafting some conditions for the Conditional Use Permit. It will take an extended Public Hearing. Patrick mentioned that parking will be mostly below grade, however in the parking study it states that one of their intentions is to have the service workers transported and bussed in. Patrick Manning stated that some of the issues with the site is that it has no back so it is hard to hide trash and employee parking and delivery stuff, so we have a six-acre piece by the substation in Santa Clara that will house employee parking and their cafeteria and delivery and distribution and resort laundry, deliver for golf course and maintenance for golf course all down behind that substation. Our goal is no eighteen-wheelers in Ivins. We will take smaller trucks into Ivins to deliver. Chairman Bryan Pack stated he wants to note that he has received two emails from Lisa Rutherford and CJ Koharcheck and he asks that if you have concerns express them, but this is not a question and answer session. We can consider those concerns and address them and will keep a list of the issues. Please keep comments brief. He read the emails into the record, stating that Lisa Rutherford is concerned with water and where it is all coming from. She wondered how many visitors, how much traffic will be generated and will the roundabout handle those numbers? CJ Koharcheck wondered about workforce housing and how many employees there will be? How can we help address the affordable housing issue for these employees through this project if possible to do so? He then opened the public hearing. Claudette Larsen stated she is concerned about water and also what percent will be rentals? With all the rock formations there, will there be a way to prevent people from taking or disturbing the rock? CJ Koharcheck zoomed in and stated that she lives on Puerto. This resort is beautiful and she is glad it is going to be partially open with respect to the trails. There are going to be a lot of low-wage jobs and she doesn't think it is fair to the City of Ivins to have to change the zoning of the rest of the City to accommodate needs for affordable housing. When they all look for places to live according to our moderate housing plan, Ivins is on the hook with the State of Utah to change zoning, as one of our strategies. It is not fair to the City as a whole to expect that we will need zoning changes in other areas to accommodate the low-wage workers that will be here at the resort. Hearing no further comments, Chairman Bryan Pack stated that we will continue this Public Hearing to have another opportunity as plans are fully developed.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/76kvfazw71vc88x/AABUzEH5nBxRFjDeuw6QiS8Ma?dl=0
Chairman Bryan Pack inquired if there were any other issues that Planning Commission has identified for consideration of this Class V Conditional Use Permit? Commissioner Doug Clifford inquired if this would be phased or one massive project? Chairman Bryan Pack stated Phase 1 is Resort Center. Commissioner Bob Morris inquired will the golf course or the commercial area come first? Patrick Manning stated that Resort Center with its commercial retail and hotel will be done concurrently with the golf course. Mike Rodriguez inquired what is the estimated time of construction? Patrick Manning stated that the golf course timeline is 18 months and Resort Center is 25 months. Internally we are conflicted on what Phase 2 will be and some believe it should be the family village because it is the most requested, but he would like to do the commercial retail off the roundabout first because he doesn't want to build a hotel and then years later start digging holes for underground parking right off the roundabout. That is what he is pushing for is the retail and the culinary village. It has not been decided yet. But they want to start with the main amenity hub and the golf course as Phase 1 so there will be less hammering on what would go in up front. Chairman Bryan Pack inquired if the phasing will be finalized with the development agreement? Dale Coulam stated there will be flexibility in the phasing so we anticipate that they may identify the first couple of phases but it may identify what those uses are on the site plan, but timing may be market-driven in the future so there will be flexibility to the phasing. Patrick Manning stated that there are ongoing discussions on how to solve that problem long-term. We are looking at some affordable housing in the Santa Clara portion of Black Desert, however a small piece we sold off 17 acres just north adjacent to the Harmon's has been master plan approved with 188 units of rentals and just north of that is another plat going through Santa Clara that is an additional 211 rental apartments, and then another project approved for 250 so we are watching that to see if we need to provide housing or if the neighbors are handling that for us. All of that is in Santa Clara. Chairman Bryan Pack inquired how many employees do you expect when it is fully built out? Patrick Manning stated between 600-650. Commissioner Bob Morris stated will those will be purchased or rented? Patrick stated that in the Resort Commercial, it implies the ability to rent, but he is a firm believer that you cannot allow people to rent their own units and that degradation happens fast. They are in final negotiations with Marriott to be in the background and let them do the reservations. They would not be shown on our building, and our CCRs and rental agreement program state that you cannot rent your unit except through the front desk, and it will all be operated through one desk. As far as who would rent we don't know how many people would want to rent through the pool and about 250 residences pre-sold and most of those want to be in the family village, but not necessarily rentals. Commissioner Lance Anderson inquired if the sitework would be disturbed or will it only be done in areas? Patrick Manning stated Judd Palmer will be doing the work and believes he can disturb just what needs to be. He has been out there 30 times and just disturb only the permanent areas, even in the resort area. On the water issue, we own the rights to 450 acre ft of water that is provided by the City of St George and is irrigation water through an irrigation line and they have the right to bring the water from three different sources, Gunlock Reservoir, well or reuse. Commissioner Jeff Loris stated that regarding low-income housing, if we were a stand-alone city it would make sense, but most people travel in to work. He travels to St George and knows people that travel from LaVerkin and Toquerville, and with the size of this resort, we may see Cedar City employees coming to work here. It is not just all on Ivins to be responsible for all the housing for these workers. We are under restriction by the State but we are not on the hook for the entire area. We will work with our neighbors and make this resort work out well. Mike Rodriguez stated that at this point we will have TRC meeting and staff will continue to work with the applicant to draft conditions. We will have some standard conditions as well as some that are specific to this project and taking recommendations from the Planning Commission and Sensitive Lands Committee, TRC and members of the public so we can sort through those and have an in-depth staff report at a future meeting. Take a look at what has been submitted thus far and give staff your feedback to communicate back to the applicant. Familiarize yourself with this project.