Centerville • While areas of this South Davis County community adjacent to the freeway have exploded with big-box growth, the future of the city's old Main Street is in question.

For several months, city planners have worked with consultants and the community to refine a land-use plan for the one-mile corridor between Parrish and Pages Lanes.

At the same time, the Utah Transit Authority began fine-tuning its South Davis Transit Corridor plan — and that coincidence aroused outcry from residents who feared that UTA was the driving force behind the proposed Main Street changes.

"I have this fear that all of a sudden we'll have light rail come down because we weren't at a meeting or did not speak up," said resident Chris Burningham.

"I don't want to think that the city fathers are planning something that the citizens are not aware of," Burningham added. "And sometimes I get the feeling that might happen."

At a planning commission session last week, Community Development Director Cory Snyder distinguished the city's land-use revisions from UTA's long-term transit plans for the southern half of the county.

"It wasn't the intent of our plan to define mass transit," Snyder told the few dozen residents who had gathered to voice concerns. Every reference to transit in the city's plan had been deleted.

The city's South Main Corridor plan — tabled for further discussion on Sept. 8 — will govern the look and feel of the old-town area of this growing city 30 years into the future.

The corridor divides itself into two gateways at either end and two internal districts — core and traditional.

The core, centered around City Hall, features buildings closer to the street — 2 to 5 feet from the property line, Snyder said. That expanse widens to five to 15 feet in the traditional district.

Rear and side parking will be encouraged, along with inviting plazas if buildings are set back from the road.

"We're pushing the buildings toward the street and buffering with landscaping," Snyder said.

Buildings could grow 1.5 to 3 stories tall throughout the corridor, providing retail and office space at street level and residential units above.

Each building could have one to four apartments, a number that could expand to eight with further approval.

Since Centerville's Main Street is a state road, the Utah Department of Transportation maintains it rather than the city. "If people are walking it, UDOT will build pedestrian-friendly amenities," Snyder said.

Resident Lynn Sessions drew hearty applause by suggesting that Main Street should be allowed to revert to single-family dwellings.

And some found fault with the push toward walkability.

"I have a concern about slowing Main Street down by putting a lot of shops and walkways," said resident Kevin Samuelson. "Main Street is a highway and most of us want to get from point A to point B."

Resident Scott Van Orman said he preferred that UTA add a commuter-rail (FrontRunner) stop on West Parrish Lane rather than any form of rail-driven transit down Main.

UTA had studied the option of street cars running on rails down Centerville's Main Street, but public feedback moved the agency to examine other modes and routes.

"It's kind of up in the air right now," UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter said in an interview.

"The next step is to study the alternatives — that process will be influenced by Centerville's plan."

Snyder views Centerville as a stakeholder in UTA's process.

"Land use and transportation do intertwine," Snyder said, noting that UTA buses currently come down Main.

"Whatever type (of transit), we don't want it to ruin the identity of our Main Street," Snyder said. "But to say that we have the authority to define what mass transit will be in the South Davis area would be inappropriate."

Some residents still see the now-suburban community as somewhat rural, Snyder said, and the trend toward urbanization signals even bigger change.

"The biggest struggle has been communication," Snyder said, "and how we engage the public."

cmckitrick@sltrib.com —

Centerville's South Main Street Corridor Plan

Runs from Parrish Lane to Pages Lane

Focuses on walkability and mixed use

Has buildings closer to street

Has buildings up to 3 stories high

Includes street-level office and retail

Allows up to four living units above, eight with additional approval

Encourages side and rear parking, landscaping and plazas

Source: Community Development