When phase two of American Fork's The Meadows development is complete in the next few years, it will rival Orem's University Mall in size and offerings.

Retail stores, restaurants, housing, offices, a park-like atmosphere and more are planned for the phase two portion of the shopping center in west American Fork. But the city's zoning laws might hold up plans for housing.

Representatives of Woodbury Corp. and Woodfield Development presented plans for the next phase of its successful shopping center at a joint session of the City Council and Planning Commission recently.

Lynn Woodbury told the group that the development would be approximately the same size as the main section of University Mall, which they also developed.

George Melara, an architect preparing the design of the second phase, said the developers had a vision for the center.

"We wanted to create a place, not just put a bunch of retail there," he said.

JCPenney has committed to put a store in the development, provided the timing is right. It wants to be open by fall of 2008, Woodbury said. The second phase developments would start opening in the spring of 2009.

"Timing is a very important thing to the tenants," he said.

Another possible tenant the developers are working with is a large, yet-to-be identified bookstore. There are also plans for an expansion of the Cinemark theaters on the development's southeast side. Near there would be a central plaza area with broad sidewalks and benches.

"We want to create an environment where people want to be there," Melara said. "It becomes a place where the community really interacts." He said the area could become an "urban village" where people stroll and walk their pets. It would have water features, he said.

"We want to create something that is totally unique," he said.

One concept that would be new in American Fork is placing housing above the retail shops. Plans were not yet firmed up how many housing units there would be, but Woodbury said he felt there was a demand for that style of multi-use development.

American Fork Mayor Heber Thompson said while the concept may be relatively new to the city, it has been used in Europe.

"Long before there was American Fork, there were European cities like this," he said, giving the example of Paris, where people live above stores.

Planning Commissioner Joe Gordon told the developers that the shopping center zone does not allow for residential uses, and making the change to the zoning law could cause some delays.

Woodbury said he would seek the city's cooperation to move things along as quickly as possible.

"This type of development has proven that it can really work, but it can't work if the mentality of the city isn't to move it along as fast as possible," he said. The developers will also ask for a relaxation of the city's sign ordinances.

Thompson expressed optimism about the concept.

"We would be willing to compromise if this is a good concept for our city and region," he said.

Woodbury assured him that the development would meet those criteria.

"We really think this is an opportunity for American Fork to do something that is really special in Utah County," he said.

J. H. Hadfield, of the city's engineering department, offered caution about changing ordinances too quickly.

"We are concerned with unintended consequences," he said, indicating changes needed to be completely analyzed in order to have the right outcome.

Some said they had concerns about the traffic and parking.

Planning Commission Chairman James Hansen said there were already traffic problems near the theaters, and the plan closes some of the roads near them.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.