By Mark LaRocco

RIVER HEIGHTS -- The Planning and Zoning Commission has been putting the finishing touches on a new subdivision ordinance that could go into effect next month. Blake Wright, a member of the commission, said the main purpose of totally revising the ordinance was to make the approval process easier for both the city and potential developers.

"It gives us [the city] a little more control of how the approval process takes place," Wright said.

He emphasized that the developing phase has been smooth, but the approval stage, which is the first step in developing land, has been tedious and frustrating for many developers and private landowners.

In fact, River Heights declared a six-month moratorium to help the council focus on revising the ordinance without being bothered by land development proposals. A moratorium is "a legally authorized period of delay in the performance of a legal obligation," according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

The self-imposed moratorium began on Oct. 22, so it only lasts until April 22. If the new ordinance is not ready by then, the council has to hear out potential developers, which would prolong the revision, Councilwoman Gladys Ann Atwood said.

"I'm going to file an extension," said Atwood. "I'm going to call the Utah League of Cities and Towns."

Atwood said that she thinks that she might get a two-month extension. That should allow enough time to complete the ordinance. Also, the Utah League of Cities and Towns does not actually grant the extension, but Atwood says they can put her in touch with the right people.

It was Atwood who suggested that the last subdivision ordinance be redone. She said it was just a form ordinance with blanks where certain titles were filled in. It may have just been a copy of another city's ordinance, said Atwood.

"It was not adequate for what we needed," she said. "It was not specific enough."

The inefficiency of the old form also led to monetary problems.

"It cost us more time and money for our engineer, and it cost even more money for the developer," Wright said.

To save money and time, the new form will contain a checklist for anyone who wants to build a subdivision. That makes it easier for all parties, but especially the developer, who will know exactly what he or she has to do to gain city approval.

"The better procedures you've got up front, the less hassle you're going to have," Councilman Noel Cooley said.

"It will be much longer," said Atwood. "But it will have information on roads, water, what needs to be done on water meters, et cetera."

By state code, the planning and zoning commission must show the new ordinance to the city. The city then must let the public know at least two weeks in advance that there will be a hearing announcing the revision.

Wright pointed out to the council that the public hearing would be a simple formality. To abide by state law, the hearing must be held, but public input may have no bearing on the finished product.

"We don't have to do anything the public wants us to, we just have to listen to them," Wright said.

NW
JH

We've published stories since 1998. We've saved them all. Click the link below to take you to the Archive home page. We have no search engine on the archive, so if you're looking for a particular story, you'll need to search month by month or use keywords from the story in Google.com