Bountiful Library Remodel Wins Final City Approval — Insulation, a Back Patio, and a Closed Main Street Driveway
The Bountiful branch library is getting a real remodel, and as of last month it has every approval it needs from the city.
The Bountiful Planning Commission reviewed the final architectural and site plan on August 4 and forwarded a positive recommendation. The City Council approved it on August 11, subject to staff review comments. City staff told the council the application met code requirements and matched the general plan; the library sits at 725 South Main Street.
What changes
The biggest fix is one nobody will see. The building has no insulation. The remodel insulates and drywalls the interior while keeping the brick that regulars are attached to — and at a new “back porch” on the rear corner, the design pulls the wall back so the brick stays visible from both inside and out, behind a large glass opening.
That move trades a little floor space for outdoor space. The building goes from roughly 24,000 square feet to about 22,600, and the space comes back as a rear patio and plaza looking toward the creek and the trees. Councilmembers raised concern about drought stress on those trees; the project team said it plans to protect them.
Getting there will change too
The one-way driveway onto Main Street is being closed. The design team told the council drivers routinely enter it the wrong way, and it creates an extra intersection right next to a crosswalk. Traffic will be routed around the site instead, and the book drop-off is moving — those circulation changes are what triggered the site plan review in the first place. In exchange, pedestrians get a wider “grand walkway” running from Main Street to the front door.
The Twig, the small library presence on Main Street, came up in the meeting as a popular stand-in with residents. No construction start or closure dates were announced at the August meeting; watch the Davis County Library for service updates as the project moves.
More Bountiful resources are on our Bountiful city guide.
Details come from Bountiful City Planning Commission and City Council meeting records. Schedules and project details are set by the city and Davis County and can change — confirm on the Bountiful City agendas and minutes page.
