By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Mona City Council imposed a moratorium on all new
subdivisions so the city ordinance can be reviewed and the
necessary changes made.
The moratorium was to begin immediately.
"As of today, we cannot accept any new applications
for subdivisions," said Cory Squire, council member.
Lynn Ingram, city road superintendent, said the
planning commission had discussed asking for a moratorium
because several items dealing with subdivisions needed to be
changed in the ordinance.
One of those, he said, was the street ordinance.
"I agree," said Squire. "We do need to review our
ordinance."
In Utah, building moratoriums cannot exceed six months
from the date of adoption.
A six-month moratorium is the time-period the state
suggests for moratoriums. They can be lifted sooner if the
work is done before the six-months are up but they cannot be
imposed for longer than the six-months.
"We should be able to iron out the ordinance in 60
days," said Bryce Lynn, mayor. "It should not take that long
to do what we need to do."
The council will now meet with the city planning
commission to discuss the planned changes to the subdivision
ordinance.
He said that some items had been addressed and changes
just needed to be written and then reviewed.
"The moratorium will give us time to up-date and to
clarify the ordinance," said Gordon Anderson, council
member.
Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the U.S.
with current forecasts predicting the state's population to
increase by 50 percent over the next 20 years.
In many parts of Utah, in addition to Mona, rapid
growth is fueling strong development pressures that can
irreversibly alter the long-term economic and social
character of communities.
Mona has a subdivision ordinance in place but the
council has determined that the ordinance needs to be
refined to meet the needs of the growing community.
"We will put the moratorium on for the six-months, but
we will push to have the planning and refining done in 60
days," said Lynn.
In Utah, most land use decisions affecting growth take
place at the community level, where local planning officials
have significant control over the types of development that
take place within their jurisdictions.
One tool local governments can use is to place a hold
on new development to update city planning regulations by
imposing a moratorium.
Another planning tool comes through state Quality
Development Standards (QDSs) which allow communities to
protect the quality and appearance of development.
Areas with steep slopes, flood plains, high scenic
quality, wetlands or special habitat may be mapped and
overlaid upon standard zoning regulations to identify areas
with more restrictive regulation.
State law makes it as much the responsibility of local
government to protect the community and adjacent landowners
from undesirable development proposals, as it is their duty
to ensure that the development rights of landowners are not
unduly restricted.
State law also give city government the right to
determine road width, curb and gutter, and other
infrastructure items that will be for the best good of all
residents.
Lynn Ingram, is chairman of the Mona Planning
Commission.
|
