Ephraim City approves 164-unit apartment complex

EPHRAIM—The Ephraim City Council has approved a 164-unit apartment complex, approximately 6.3 acres, in Ephraim Crossing—the largest non-student complex to date in the city.

At a city council meeting last Wednesday, Feb. 4, Mike Ballard, managing partner in the Camino Verde Group-Ephraim South, the developer the Ephraim Crossing, said the apartment project “is specifically designed to provide attainable, market-rate housing that meets the needs of a growing and diverse population.”

Ballard defined attainable housing as housing that is affordable for households making 80-120 percent of the median household income in the area.

Bryan Kimball, director of economic and community development for the city, told the council the apartment complex is “one of the phases (of Ephraim Crossing) we’ve been reviewing for a number of years.”

He noted that the city tries to step down housing densities from most to least dense. For instance, it would not be inclined to permit a large apartment complex next to a low-density, single-family subdivision.

In Ephraim Crossing, the apartment complex is next to “Flex Homes,” small but expandable single-family homes on small lots. The Flex Homes abut an area called “The Estates,” containing medium to large single-family homes.

Located at about 500 South between 200 and 400 West, the pet-friendly complex will contain studios and one-to-three-bedroom apartments. Ballard said rents would range from about $895 for a studio to $1,700 for a three-bedroom.

Because of the way utility metering will be handled, Ballard said, it is unlikely the apartments will ever be converted to condominiums.

Among conditions Ephraim City is requiring Camino Verde to meet are paving a main road through the complex; putting in a 6-foot, visual barrier fence on most of the perimeter; providing 1.5 parking spaces per bedroom; and landscaping 25 percent of the acreage.

Ballard said the complex would have four, three-story buildings, all with parking on the first level and the apartments above. The covered parking will account for about 40 percent of all parking spaces. The other 60 percent of spaces will be in standard parking lots.

According to Ballard, all homes will use “smart-home” technology, enabling residents to lock doors, adjust thermostats and perform other functions from their cell phones.

Other projected features are a clubhouse, pickleball courts in one corner of the site and two dog parks, one for small dogs and one for large dogs. And the complex is about a half block from a projected community park called the Town Square Park.

Camino Verde asked for exceptions to two conditional-use requirements. Ballard said the firm was happy to put the visual barrier fencing around most of the complex but wanted to have “see-through” fencing around part of the east side to provide a view into the park.

The company also asked to be exempted from a requirement to provide water and power meters for each unit. Instead, it is proposing to install a single “smart meter,” which can detect and report water, sewer and power usage for each individual unit in the whole complex.

The city council asked Camino Verde to submit its final fencing and metering plans for staff review before building permits are issued for any of the apartment structures.

Currently, Camino Verde is planning to develop the complex itself. But Ballard said another developer has inquired about buying the apartment site and development rights. Camino Verde is considering that option.

A councilman asked if it was going to be difficult to rent so many units.

“We have two large employers that are starting construction in the next couple of years,” Ballard said. “There will be demand.”

Later he identified four potential employers. They are the proposed Intermountain Health facility (expected to be a hospital), a couple of blocks from the apartments; Soapcreek, which makes soap and haircare products and is planning a manufacturing facility outside of Ephraim Crossing about a half mile from the apartments; a second, undisclosed manufacturing facility in a potential Ephraim Crossing industrial park, also about a half mile away; and a hotel about two blocks from the apartments.

The Messenger asked Ballard if he was confident Camino Verde would be able to complete everything the firm has planned in Ephraim Crossing.

He responded in an email. “Over the last five years,” he said, “we’ve commissioned multiple independent market studies on the overall development and its various components, and they consistently show that Ephraim is growing and that the demand supports what we’ve planned. Based on those studies and progress already underway, we believe the development can be completed in approximately the next eight years.”