By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Some of the planning ordinances used by the county need
to be studied and while that is done no further subdivisions
should be allowed.
LuWayne Walker, commissioner, had attended the county
planning commission meeting as one of his new assignments.
There he had learned that another two recreation
subdivisions were being planned and a third 10-acre cluster
subdivision was in the planning stages.
Neil Cook, former commissioner, had received preliminary
approval at the land use planning board meeting for two new
recreation subdivisions, one in Bradley Basin near Eureka
and another near Levan at Chris Canyon.
David Leavitt, a Nephi resident and attorney, has planned
a recreation subdivision in the mountain country east of
Mona.
"They (the land use board) voted to allow Neil Cook's
projects to go to the next step," said Walker.
There may also be a third individual who is seeking to
develop a recreation subdivision, he said.
In addition, Jeff Yates, Mona resident, is planning a
cluster subdivision north of Mona which would allow 10 homes
to be built on 12-acres.
"Our county is full of roads," said Walker.
Some have only two-track roads and fire protection could
be a great concern.
Val Jones, commission chairman, said that in Utah County
it is now required that if a home is built in the county and
is more than 5,000 square feet, it must have an internal
sprinkling system.
Utah County's fire marshal is pushed for more stringent
sprinkler-system requirements for homes in outlying areas of
Utah Valley because the systems can save lives and
property.
Since 1990, homes in unincorporated areas of Utah County
have not been required to have access to a water system or
have sprinklers if the homes don't measure 6,000 square feet
when built. However, the fire marshal there is pushing for
even that requirement to be lowered.
Jared Eldridge, Juab County attorney, said the commission
could consider a temporary ordinance which would not allow
further development until a study had been made of safety
issues.
"It can only be for six months," said Eldridge.
One legitimate reason for imposing a moratorium, he said,
was that would give commissioners time to study and evaluate
wildland fire safety issues in areas being proposed for
development.
"The ones in the pipe, when the moratorium is imposed,
will just keep going," said Eldridge. "It puts a stop to new
proposals until the commission can study the issues and
determine plans."
Wildland-Urban Interface is where houses meet or
intermingle with wildland vegetation. The WUI is where
wildfire pose the biggest risk to human lives and
structures. It is also an area of widespread habitat
fragmentation, introduction of invasive species and
biodiversity loss.
"Once a project is in the pipeline, is there a time limit
as to when the project must be completed?" asked Robert
Garrett, county road superintendent.
Sometimes it can take a long time to build a home, for
example. How long should a project be allowed to continue
before a halt is called, he asked.
"That is one of the things we want to evaluate," said
Walker.
Chad Winn, commissioner, wondered about the way the
Wildland-Urban Interface was addressed in county
ordinance.
"Our fire marshal should be signing off on subdivision
and building projects in the county before they are
allowed," said Jones. "That has been in effect for some
years but it has been ignored."
It would be wise, he said, to tell those who give permits
that those should not be issued without first having the
fire marshal sign off.
"Who is responsible for fire breaks around such
properties?" asked Lynn Ingram, county road department.
He said that the forest service had the sheriff's patrol
remove fire hazards from around the patrol cabin in Salt
Creek.
Ultimately, it is likely that if homes are destroyed in
wildland-Urban Interface areas, the county would be held
liable.
"I will have the ordinance calling for a moratorium ready
for the next commission meeting," said Eldridge, after the
commission directed him to prepare it.
The ordinance will be ready for signature at that
time.
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