Cache County creates wild-game processing use and eases FR-40 road frontage rule

The Cache County Council voted 7-0 on Oct. 27 to create a new animal processing facility use for wild game and for livestock killed elsewhere. It also voted 7-0 to exempt parcels in the FR-40 zone from the county's 150-foot road frontage rule as long as they have legal access. ^[1][3]

Brian Abbott, a county staff member, said an applicant wanted to open a wild game processing facility, and the code's closest category, small-scale slaughter, covered only farm animals. Under Ordinance 2026-45 the new use is allowed in A10, commercial and industrial zones with a conditional use permit. The facility may not slaughter animals on site or buy, sell or distribute wild game meat, must remove byproducts for proper disposal, and may return products only to the animal's owner or the owner's agent. The Planning Commission recommended approval 5-0 after an Oct. 1 hearing. ^[3]

Ordinance 2026-39 covers the FR-40 zone, where Abbott said about 59% of parcels could never meet the frontage requirement as written. His map showed 18%, or 424 parcels, within 33 feet of a county road centerline and 23% within 66 feet. Council Chair Sandi Goodlander said the area's roads are not on a grid and that legal access can be a dirt track. Council Member Keegan Garrity noted owners would still have to meet emergency-access requirements, and Council Member Nolan Gunnell said owners must recognize county road closures, and Erickson said that would be built into any conditional use or building permit. ^[3]

The council also voted 7-0 for Resolution 2026-39 on the geographical divisions of the Cache County Fire Protection District's board. Council Member Kathryn Beus said it makes the current membership permanent. That is one trustee for the district as a whole, which excludes Logan, and one each for the north and the south. Six seats go to the six largest cities, Smithfield, Hyde Park, North Logan, Providence, Nibley and Hyrum, and one each to the small cities in the south and the north. Council Member David Erickson suggested tying the city seats to population, but after a district official said the other divisions rest on taxable value he dropped the idea, and the resolution passed as presented. ^[3]

The council set public hearings for Nov. 10 on the sale of an easement and a surplus property declaration, and rescheduled for that date the hearing on Ordinance 2026-36, which would adjust salaries for elected and executive county officials. ^[1][3]