EPHRAIM — After more than an hour of public discussion focused on traffic safety, drainage history, and the future of a long-time Main Street movie theater, the Ephraim Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Jan. 14 to approve the Southtowne Homes Subdivision, which would involve demolition of the Southtowne Theatre at 687 S. Main and construction of 27 townhomes on the property.
The application was submitted by Matthew and Molly Anderson, with Towne Theatre Corp. listed as property owner. The property is approximately 2.55 acres and is zoned C-2.
“As many of you know, we’ve been in business for a really long time,” Molly Anderson said. “Matt’s actually fourth generation. Frankly, we are looking at the decline of a business that we love. So, we have to look forward to the future and take care of some things for our future and retirement, and our children, and regular expenses.”
Commission members present for the meeting were Lisa Murray (chair), Larry Smith, Chevi Sutton, Joe Howe, Desiree Funk and Carol Jacobsen, according to the meeting roll call.
City Planner Megan Spurling told the commission the C-2 zone allows mixed-use development ranging from commercial uses to single-family housing and higher-density residential. She said the zoning designation on the Southtowne property back roughly three decades.
Spurling said city staff, engineers and the city attorney reviewed several iterations of the project to bring it into compliance with city code before recommending approval.
According to a staff report, the 27 townhomes would be sold individually. The units are primarily three-bedroom, two-bath units with unfinished basements. The main and upper floors total about 1,900 square feet. But two unit types are proposed: Other units are smaller with single-car garages as opposed to two-car garages.
The development includes small front and rear yards, with rear yard depths varying from roughly 10 to 20 feet depending on location. Shared green space would be limited to small turf areas in the northeast and northwest corners, with water-wise landscaping used elsewhere. No playground is planned, with the applicants citing proximity to city parks, including the skate park, splash pad and playground facilities.
During the public hearing, Matt and Molly Anderson described the movie theater industry as being in long-term decline, a decline that accelerated during and after COVID-19.
They told the commission they initially considered apartment buildings but ultimately chose a townhome model that would allow individual ownership and sales.
The Andersons said they plan to keep their other theater on Main Street in Ephraim open and potentially increase showtimes there.
They also described the location as suitable for a walkable residential development, with the planned hospital across the street, and schools, churches and parks nearby.
The proposal requires a minimum of two off-street parking spaces per unit, with tandem parking permitted (one car in a garage and one car behind the first in the driveway). There would also be designated guest parking areas at the east and south ends of the development.
Internal private roads would be 24 feet wide and restricted to emergency access only, with no on-street parking allowed.
Public parking on 700 South would remain under city control, including the 48-hour limit and the winter overnight parking ban.
Ingress and egress would be via existing driveways onto 700 South, with sidewalks required throughout the development/
Public comment centered largely on traffic safety at the intersection of U.S. 89 and 700 South, with several speakers describing illegal U-turns, congestion during school commute hours and limited enforcement capacity.
“Have you ever been at that intersection in the morning?” asked Tiffany Alder Bown “I support Molly in this, but 700 South has safety problems.”
Spurling told attendees that road issues that are being evaluated, and the commission didn’t have an answer for them yet.
Ephraim Crossing developer Mike Ballard cited a market study indicating city housing needs and noted that potential UDOT changes, including a median that could restrict left turns, may alter traffic patterns in the area.
Other speakers raised concerns about drainage, including flooding in a neighboring subdivision built in the mid-2000s. One resident described how drainage lines were routed into an adjacent ditch, causing overflow problems during heavy runoff.
Spurling acknowledged the history and said the Public Works Department would verify storm drain capacity and ensure finished grading directs surface water away from structures, particularly near the northeast corner of the site where an existing overflow pipe discharges storm water.
Some speakers lamented the loss of the theater, and questioned whether the city needs the homes, and if there are even jobs for the people who would move into them.
The commission approved the subdivision subject to extensive staff conditions, including that the governing construction plans are Version 4 dated Dec. 17, 2025, and that construction must begin within one year or the project would require reapplication.
Other conditions require all roads and frontage improvements to be completed to city standards before occupancy, installation of dark-sky-compliant street lighting, sight-obscuring fencing, separate utility metering for each unit, and completion of all demolition before zoning permits are issued.
At the staff’s recommendation, the commission also added a condition requiring the applicants to coordinate with adjacent businesses during construction, including providing 24-to- 72-hour advance notice of road closures and detours.
Spurling emphasized that while traffic and infrastructure concerns were valid, the planning commission’s role was limited to determining whether the application met zoning and subdivision standards.
“When someone wants to invest in their own property, they usually do the research to find out if it’s a good idea for them,” Spurling said. “It’s not buyer beware; it’s builder beware.”
The motion to recommend the development plan passed unanimously and will now go to the Ephraim City Council for final approval of denial.