Council backs moving development approvals to staff committee in land use code rewrite
June 16, 2026, 4:00 p.m. · City Administration Conference Room, 51 E. Main St.
Council members agreed with a consultant's plan in the city's land use code rewrite to have the Development Review Committee approve site plans, subdivisions and conditional uses, with the Planning Commission hearing appeals, after a new state law barred councils from those roles. They also reviewed proposed pressurized irrigation and culinary water rates, with Councilmember Ernie John arguing the top irrigation tier is too cheap and several members questioning why businesses pay less per gallon than homes.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Land use code rewrite | Discussed |
| Pressurized irrigation rates | Discussed |
| Culinary water rates | Discussed |
| Automatic annexations | Continued |
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · City code
Land use code rewrite
Discussed
Consultant Cherylyn Egner and Development Services Director Patrick O'Brien reviewed the roughly 530-page draft rewrite (down from more than 800 pages, now incorporating the Sensitive Lands and transit-oriented development rules). Because state law no longer lets the council approve or hear appeals of administrative land use decisions, the draft makes the Development Review Committee the approval body and the Planning Commission the appeal authority; members agreed. Other topics: use-specific standards for auto repair, liquor stores and car washes; a rewritten sign and electronic billboard section based on a version withdrawn about three years ago after sign-industry pushback; defining mixed use as residential plus commercial in the same building; and side-yard setbacks, which members preferred to keep at the current 8 feet one side and 20 feet combined. Planning Commission review was expected in early August.
- Consultant: Cherylyn Egner
- Draft: about 530 pages vs. 800+ existing
- DRC approves site plans, plats and conditional uses; Planning Commission hears appeals
Item 2 · Taxes and fees
Pressurized irrigation rates
Discussed
Keith Larson of Bowen Collins & Associates presented a five-year metered irrigation plan with a continuous lot-size base rate and four tiers, starting with low rates and reaching a Tier 4 rate of $5.16 per 1,000 gallons; Tier 4 begins at about 2.5 times the USU-recommended amount. Staff expect usage to drop about 30% once customers see metered bills. Councilmember John said Tier 4 is too low, noting Cedar Hills charges over $7; Councilmember Hunter wanted to watch behavior first and asked for fuller city comparisons including Orem, Alpine and Eagle Mountain.
- Tier 1: $0.43 per 1,000 gallons
- Tier 4 at full phase-in: $5.16 per 1,000 gallons
- Consultant: Bowen Collins & Associates (Keith Larson)
Item 3 · Taxes and fees
Culinary water rates
Discussed
Larson said the culinary rate structure is unchanged and rates rise about 12% to fund planned capital projects, starting July 1. Resident Royce Shelley asked why non-residential users pay a lower single-tier volume rate; Larson said the state ombudsman accepts one block for non-residential users and the cost-of-service study dates to about 2012. Hunter and Taylor favored a review of the non-residential rate, which Larson estimated would cost a few thousand dollars.
- Increase: about 12%
Item 4 · Annexation
Automatic annexations
Continued
Item deferred; O'Brien will send materials to members ahead of a later discussion.
What residents said
Non-residential water rates lower than residential
Royce Shelley asked why non-residential water customers pay a lower per-1,000-gallon charge than residents and only one usage tier.