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West Valley City Journal

Keeping Chesterfield unique, council passes new zone to preserve area

Jan 18, 2021 04:06PM ● By Travis Barton

The Chesterfield area features a variety of homes, some dating back to 1910 with only a few built in the past decade. (Courtesy West Valley City)

By Travis Barton | [email protected]

Just a few days before Thanksgiving, one section of West Valley City got an early Christmas present. 

Chesterfield, located in the northeastern part of the city and known for its unique nature, was discussed at length in recent months as city officials aimed to preserve the unique standards of the area. 

On Nov. 24, West Valley City Council unanimously approved the creation of the Chesterfield Overlay Zone, that establishes development standards over the area.  

“We want to keep (Chesterfield) unique and special,” said Councilman Tom Huynh during a November study meeting. Huynh’s district includes the Chesterfield neighborhood. 

Councilman Jake Fitisemanu Jr. added “this is a neighborhood that needs to be preserved.” 

With the city running out of developable land, there is a substantial number of vacant or underdeveloped property in Chesterfield, an area known for its more agricultural feel with smaller and older homes. A feel that its residents want to keep. 

Prior to the vote, resident Chris Young said he didn’t want “cookie cutter” subdivisions, preferring to keep Chesterfield unique. While another resident, Monica Dixon, sent the city an email in October emphasizing they did not want sidewalks, curbs and gutters. 

“Sidewalks would be the beginning of the end for our lifestyle here,” Dixon wrote. “The magic of this place is seeing folks on horseback ride past my house on their way up to the Jordan River Parkway.”

Dixon wrote that sidewalks would push riders into the road, creating hazards for drivers, riders and horses. She added horse manure decomposes on the dirt quickly and the dirt in front of their houses creates additional parking for guests. 

“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not install sidewalks,” she wrote. “We don't want them. And we also do not want the increased property tax that would come with them.”

After discussion by the council, both worries from the residents appear to be taken care of, to a point. 

Councilwoman Karen Lang’s suggestion that any new house built must have three different looking homes on the same side of the street before another house of the same kind can be built was approved by the council. 

In the previous ordinance, curb, gutter and sidewalk would have been required on all streets. But under the new overlay zone, certain streets would not require those infrastructural additions. Though current streets that don’t have them, would not be required to put them in. There are locations, such as Malvern Avenue off Redwood Road, where if a new home was built, would be required to add curb, gutter and sidewalk. This is due to the pedestrian overpass located right there to Redwood Elementary. 

Maximum height for any new homes is two stories and all new homes would be oriented toward the street.