Riverdale mobile home park redevelopment plans morphing, expanding | News, Sports, Jobs

RIVERDALE – The residential area surrounding Lesley’s mobile home park in Riverdale is changing and expanding.

The Riverdale Planning Commission last week recommended to Riverdale City Council that city officials redesignate two lots along 700 West west of Lesley’s to an R-4 designation. The City Council last July redesignated the 4.62-acre lot on which Lesley’s stands to R-4, a designation that allows for apartments and townhomes and paves the way for the removal of mobile home occupants.

However, how the two new lots might fit into plans with the Lesleys’ property – the focus of dismay among park residents at having to leave – is still coming into focus. Forza Development of Salt Lake City is seeking the rezoning of two properties, one measuring 0.71 acres at the southeast corner of 4400 South and 700 West, and the other measuring 0.87 acres immediately south.

Chris Hatch, a Forza developer, told planning officials at the Oct. 11 meeting that Forza “has partnered” with the owner of Lesley, H&H 39th Street. In addition, Forza says in each of his bids for the two rezonings that a new apartment complex is to be built on the Lesleys’ land.

“The property is adjacent to the mobile home park that our development plan proposes to remove to allow a new apartment complex to take its place,” Forza’s rezoning notices read. “This plot is included in our plans and will allow us to convert the surrounding area into a beautiful new living option.”

Despite this, no site plan detailing the proposed development has been filed with Riverdale officials. At the same time, representatives from Forza and H&H did not respond to requests for comment.

The future of the Lesleys’ property has been the focus of intense debate since Spring 2021.

City officials note that the redevelopment plans at the Lesley site fit into the city’s general plan, the document guiding development. Additionally, the RV park has been a problem for city officials over the years due to code enforcement issues at the site.

Be that as it may, some still at Lesley’s, which sleeps 55 RV units, are nervous about their future. Following the rezoning of Lesley land last July, a landowner’s legal representative formally advised residents of the property that they had until May 31, 2023 to vacate to make room for the redevelopment. Then, late last month, Lesley’s legal representative, the Mountain States Eviction Law Firm of Layton, filed eviction lawsuits against 12 residents, 11 for non-payment of rent and one for squatting.

One of the two new properties to be rezoned is owned by Garff Properties Riverdale, which also owns a 0.63-acre property east of Lesley’s. Hatch said that as part of the development plans, Forza would trade the land on the east side of the Lesley site with Garff to acquire the Garff land on the west side of the park.

The other parcel, which is the focus of the new Rezone effort, is now occupied by Carey’s Cycle Shop, a Yamaha dealer.

Public hearings preceded the action of the Planning Commission, which recommended the two proposed rezonings, but no one spoke out. Riverdale community development director Mike Eggett said the issue is expected to be discussed before Riverdale City Council at its Nov. 1 meeting.

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