Lehi City News
Perry Homes’ petition to amend Master Plan unanimously denied
Nichole Coombs | Lehi Free Press
In a unanimous vote, the Lehi City Council declined Perry Homes’ petition to relocate up to 600 housing units out of the West Canyon area in North Lehi to an area near Timpanogos Highway. The vote was met with applause from residents attending the council meeting.
“There is a long history in this area,” said Lehi resident Angie Parkin. “Perry Homes has been telling us one thing while doing another for over a decade.”
Parkin was one of about 40 residents who attended the May 12, 2026, meeting, all urging the council to vote against the amendment.
“In the original area plan, it says that [density] can’t be transferred,” said Parkin. “Now they want to change that.”
Much of the public comment centered on concerns about Geneva Rock’s grading in the area and on the frustration that, if Perry is allowed to move the units out of West Canyon, there will be no end to the grading. Residents argued that the original agreement approved grading in order to develop the land, not to create an ongoing eyesore. Parkin told council members that what was once called the point of the mountain is now called ‘the nub of the mountain’ by residents.
“So much material has been removed from the mountain by Geneva that it’s unrecognizable,” said Parkin. “Perry Homes has profited from the sale of that dirt while doing little to remediate the area, leaving residents of Traverse Mountain to deal with poor air quality.”
Matt Swain, a representative for Perry Homes at the meeting, reminded residents and the council that the amendment to move the density was a separate issue from Perry Homes’ grading agreement with Geneva Rock.
Residents disagreed. During a Lehi Planning Commission meeting held on April 23, 2026, residents told commissioners they believed moving the 600 units of development would mean grading would continue indefinitely.
During the April discussion, Planning Commissioner Eyre asked Swain about the timeline on West Canyon’s development, and Swain said they would need to talk with Geneva Rock. When Eyre asked whether Perry Homes was in a position to cut ties with Geneva Rock, Swain emphasized that Geneva Rock has the right to do what it is doing and that the commission needed to treat these as two separate issues. The commission, however, voted to give a negative recommendation to the Lehi City Council.
During the council meeting, council members Rachel Freeman and Emily Lockhart raised ongoing issues with grading and air quality concerns in the area. Both asked Swain about a timeline for the grading and were told that it was a question for Geneva Rock.
After the council meeting, council members Freeman and James Harrison explained the logic behind their vote.
“I wanted to have [Perry Homes] show us some kind of accountability,” said Freeman. “I feel really strongly about the health and welfare of our residents, and I feel like it’s my duty as a nurse practitioner and council member to help protect our residents. My questions were really directed at what they have done in the environment and what mitigation and monitoring strategies they have in place, and there were no answers.”
Feeman went on to say that she wanted Perry Homes to show some accountability and goodwill for their part since they were asking the council to do the same for them.
Council member James Harrison also felt like he didn’t get the answers he wanted to move forward.
“An area plan amendment isn’t supposed to be easy or automatic,” said Harrison. “For 600 units to go from one corner of that area to another corner is pretty significant and unusual.”
Harrison pointed out that many residents have moved to the area over the years, aware of the area plan, and changing it now isn’t what they want or expected. He also acknowledged the grading issue.
“The spirit of the law of grading is you can grade for whatever time you need while moving toward construction,” said Harrison. “It’s been well over a decade of grading. There have been constant complaints about the dust; they haven’t been very good neighbors. Perry Homes hasn’t paid some HOA dues or installed the green space they’re supposed to. So, taking in all of these factors, it was a very straightforward vote for me.”
Residents say they are glad the amendment was denied and hope that previous promises made by Perry Homes, like the installation of green space, are honored moving forward.
The Lehi Pree Press reached out to Perry Homes multiple times for comment on this article, but did not receive a response before the print deadline.
