The St. George City Council adopted ordinance 2025-021 to amend the Atkinville interchange area plan PD, clearing the way for an Encompass Health inpatient rehabilitation hospital on approximately 5.91 acres north of Pioneer Road and south of Sandpiper Drive.

City planning staff described the proposed building as a single‑story facility of about 56,000 square feet with a phase‑one capacity of 50 inpatient beds and potential expansion to 60 beds. Typical building height was described at about 17.5 feet with rooftop equipment screening up to a maximum of 25 feet. Staff also noted changes to the site plan that removed parking near the principal entrance and increased landscaping (about 37.3% of the site), and that the planning commission received letters of support and neighbor questions about the use and a wall along Sandpiper.

A council member asked whether garbage pickup and deliveries would be consistent with other neighborhood projects; staff confirmed pickup times and service conditions were included in the planning conditions. Staff also noted adding "medical hospital" to the list of approved uses in the Atkinville plan as part of the amendment.

A motion to adopt the ordinance with staff and planning commission recommendations was made and seconded; the council voted unanimously (aye votes by Steve Kemp, Michelle Tanner, Danielle Larkin, Jimmy Hughes and Natalie Larson) to approve ordinance 2025-021.

With the amendment approved, project approvals will proceed through standard site‑plan, building‑permit and any additional conditions required by planning staff.