Rezoning request goes to city council after uproar against Clearfield supportive housing facility

CLEARFIELD — A Davis County-requested proposal to rezone an area of Clearfield is headed to the City Council after residents and business owners shared their opinions on the rezoning, which could lead to a future permanent supportive housing facility within the city.

The Clearfield City Planning Commission voted to approve the zoning map amendment at an Oct. 7 planning commission meeting. Davis County, the project applicant, is under contract to purchase the property at 1230 E. 1450 South.

The plan is to use the property as a supportive housing facility with 60 units—a notion most Clearfield City residents opposed at the Oct. 7 meeting.

With the parcel area listed as 5.26 acres, Davis County requested that 4.25 acres of the property be rezoned from commercial to "commercial with a supportive housing overlay" to pursue its plans for a supportive housing facility. One acre of the property would remain commercial to provide future commercial uses, according to an information packet.

"The Supportive Housing Overlay (S-H) is a zoning overlay that may be applied to properties within the C1 (Commercial) Zone," the information packet states. "The purpose of the overlay is to establish appropriate land use and development standards for supportive housing facilities that provide housing paired with ongoing support services intended to promote long-term well-being and housing stability for individuals affected by homelessness."

Davis County has issued a request for qualifications and intends to lease the land to a development partner, asking operators and developers to submit what they envision building on the property.

For and against

The idea of building a supportive housing facility in Davis County began in 2023. That's when HB499 (Homeless Services Amendments) was passed. Ryan Steinbeigle, Davis County's community services manager, discussed the topic with the public and the Clearfield City Planning Commission at the Oct. 7 meeting.

The bill required Utah counties of a second class to work on addressing winter overflow and Code Blue, according to Steinbeigle. Hoping to keep a winter overflow shelter from coming to Davis County, the county made a request to change state code so it could work toward a solution to address homelessness.

The legislature agreed, and an amendment was made to HB499, making it so second-class counties wouldn't be required to host emergency shelters during winter months — as long as that county provided a year-round solution to address homelessness.

"I've heard a lot of people describe this project as a homeless shelter — it is absolutely not," Steinbeigle said.

Steinbeigle described a homeless shelter as a no-barrier place for people experiencing homelessness, with no requirements.

"It is a bed to sleep on," Steinbeigle continued. "Permanent supportive housing is like an apartment complex. It is an apartment complex. It's like anything you would see along Main Street in Clearfield."

The difference is that the supportive housing facility would serve a low-income population earning under 30% of the area's median income, according to Steinbeigle. The housing would also include mental health services, drug and alcohol counseling, job and employment training, case management, and more.

"All of that is on site. These people have a right to tenancy; this is their apartment complex, but unlike an emergency shelter, there are rules and expectations," Steinbeigle said. "If you don't follow those rules, if you don't participate in case management, you get kicked out. This is for people who want to get stabilized, who want to get out of homelessness and, you know, be contributing members to our community."

One of the reasons Davis County selected the site in Clearfield for a supportive housing facility is because of the location's proximity to transit. Steinbeigle said it would give people open doors to CommonSpirit Health's Holy Cross Hospital, Davis Behavioral Health and the Department of Workforce Services.

"I also understand why it's scary to people because you hear homelessness, you hear housing for homelessness and you see what goes on in other communities and you worry, 'Is that what's going to happen in my community?'" Steinbeigle said.

Residents and business owners shared their thoughts during a public discussion at the Oct. 7 meeting. Many shared the same concerns, to the point that the Clearfield City Planning Commission had to ask multiple times for the public not to repeat points already raised.

Once the planning commission made its motion to approve, multiple people walked up to the council, seemingly frustrated. Attempting to continue with the meeting, the planning commission asked a large group of people who were in discussion about the facility to take their conversations out into the foyer. The planning commission had to ask a second time for people to leave before continuing onto the next topic at hand.

Many of the public commenters' concerns revolved around the elementary school, junior high and high school near the location. Public commenters talked about how they were worried students walking by could become acquainted with drugs or alcohol if they ran into someone dealing with those issues who came from the supportive housing facility. Others were worried that someone with mental health problems who came from the facility may harm a student.

Another point raised by business owners was that the area should be used for commercial purposes and that business owners should have the opportunity to use the property.

Residents are also worried that Clearfield doesn't have enough resources and that the facility would only add to the need. Others raised concerns about increased property damage, among other things.

Although most of the public comment period was filled with opposing sides, some residents were for the opportunity to have a supportive housing facility located in Clearfield. Those people talked about the importance of helping others get back on their feet, how the facility could help Clearfield with growth, and how important it is for a community to help one another in a time of need.

If the Clearfield City Council denies the zoning change, Steinbeigle said Davis County will look for other areas in the county for its supportive housing facility plans.

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