Redwood Drive-In Swap Meet vendors hope to stop potential rezoning of land

By Debbie Worthen, KSL | Posted - June 8, 2024 at 11:21 a.m.

 
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Redwood Drive-In Swap Meet vendors hope to stop potential rezoning of land
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WEST VALLEY CITY — Dozens of local vendors spent an afternoon this week in the Redwood Drive-In Theater Swap Meet parking lot getting signatures in hopes of swaying the West Valley City Council to deny an application to rezone the land for residential use.

The 26-acre land, which is privately owned, is zoned for commercial use, and the owner wants to sell it. Edge Homes reportedly wants to buy the land if the company can get approval to rezone it.

West Valley City said Edge Homes has approached them with a tentative plan to build 308 units, including condos, townhomes and single-family homes.

For the past seven years, Cristian Guiterrez has spent every weekend at the swap meet. He said it's the way he makes his living.

"A lot of people support themselves from this," Guiterrez said. "So if they lose this, then they'll lose basically everything."

He said that loss would include the community feeling there. Beto Conejo is an artist and vendor who also worries about losing the community event.

Dozens of local vendors meet regularly at the Redwood Drive-In Theater Swap Meet parking lot. That may change if the location is rezoned.
Dozens of local vendors meet regularly at the Redwood Drive-In Theater Swap Meet parking lot. That may change if the location is rezoned. (Photo: Jackson Grimm, KSL-TV)

"You come here on a Sunday or Saturday, you don't just come and buy things. You come and say hello to friends," Conejo said. "On top of the community component, it's one of the most dynamic microeconomies that Utah has to offer."

However, West Valley city leaders said the city isn't completely responsible for what happens next on this land.

City officials said it could be developed into homes and apartments if it is rezoned, but they also don't own the land, which means the current owner could develop it into commercial real estate at any time.

Dozens of local vendors spent their Tuesday afternoon in the Redwood Drive-In Theater Swap Meet parking lot getting signatures in hopes of swaying the West Valley City Council to deny an application to rezone the land for residential use.
Dozens of local vendors spent their Tuesday afternoon in the Redwood Drive-In Theater Swap Meet parking lot getting signatures in hopes of swaying the West Valley City Council to deny an application to rezone the land for residential use. (Photo: Jackson Grimm, KSL-TV)

What happens next?

Edge Homes has submitted an application that will go up for review at a public hearing on June 12 at the West Valley City Council Chambers at 4 p.m. The planning committee will review the plans and give the City Council a recommendation. That process generally takes weeks.

Guiterrez and Conejo said they don't want to block a potential sale as long as the new buyers keep the swap meet and drive in the way they are.

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Debbie Worthen, KSLDebbie Worthen
Debbie Worthen brings nearly two decades of award-winning journalism experience to the KSL Newsroom and is thrilled be working for Utah’s legacy news organization. She anchors KSL 5 News at 4 and Live at 5 with Mike Headrick and reports for KSL 5 News at 10pm. There are countless things Debbie enjoys about working in local news, but storytelling is at the top of the list. Whether it’s meeting the remarkable people of Utah as they do amazing things, informing viewers of critical breaking news and issues that impact their communities or reporting on daily assignments like weather and traffic, Debbie is honored to be the one trusted to tell Utahn’s stories. She believes journalistic integrity and a commitment to accuracy have never been more important than they are now. Debbie started her career as a writer, producer and traffic reporter while finishing her communications degree at The University of Utah before making the jump to a full-time on-air position. (Although you could say she caught the news “bug” at KOLT-News at Cottonwood High School.) After several moves across the country, Debbie and her husband, Brandon Gilbert, moved to Utah to start their family. They love everything Utah has to offer and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Outside the office, Debbie and her family are advocates for at-risk youth and have fostered several children through Utah Foster Care. As a family they enjoy movie nights in the basement, trying new recipes and, a few times a year, traveling to exotic locations!
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