By a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Bluffdale City Council nixed her sweeping proposal to dissolve the Planning Commission and replace it with five members of her choosing.

"I applaud the sensibilities of the City Council here tonight," a surprised Planning Commission Chairman Jeff Daugherty said after the council's action. "Many of them clearly changed their vote and decided to support the current commission."

Anderson's stinging defeat followed stinging remarks from Councilman Craig Briggs, Daugherty and several others on the Planning Commission - all of whom accused her of waging war against political opponents.

"This is a politically motivated issue," said Briggs, who joined council colleagues Bill Maxwell and Jesse Kelley to defeat the proposal. "And there is some kind of retribution involved. I'm concerned about that. This particular commission . . . is very qualified and served honorably."

Daugherty, who campaigned for Anderson's opponent in November, incumbent Mayor Wayne Mortimer, also blasted Anderson for blatant political partisanship.

"I don't think I would be here . . . tonight had I not participated in [Mortimer's] campaign this last year," said Daugherty, who also is director of planning and development services for Salt Lake County. "There have been concerted efforts by individuals in this administration to assault my reputation and assail my integrity."

Most current planning commissioners supported Mortimer and a project proposed for thousands of acres in Bluffdale's foothills where developers want to build up to 18 units per acre. Many grass-roots activists and some officials favor 1-acre lots. The developers have since taken the contentious issue to 3rd District Court. A trial is set for Jan. 30.

Even so, Anderson said her attempt to make wholesale changes to the commission was about getting new blood, not political bloodletting.

"We need to go forward with a new Planning Commission so that we are all on the same page," Anderson said. "It's not retribution. It's certainly not political. We just need to have new blood [so] that we are all getting along."

Martha Speed, who voted with council newcomer Nancy Lord for the change, said presidents are allowed to appoint their own people, and Anderson should be allowed to do likewise.

"If anyone is making this political," she added, "it's the other side."

Anderson's defeat came after she introduced three of her five commission picks - M.J. Jackson, Marcy Rowley, Dana Faurot - to the council and residents in the packed council chambers. Mike Wardle, her fourth pick, was absent. Her choice for alternate, Clark Broadbank, had not been notified and was also not there.

Turned out, the introductions were not necessary. With the council's vote, Daugherty, Tina Perkins, John Loumis, Troy Holtby and alternate Brad Oakley are still in business.

Daugherty hopes the vote will help the administration and commission put politics behind them and enable them to work together for a better Bluffdale.

meddington@sltrib.com