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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent

The Planning Commission recently made changes to the subdivision section of the land use ordinance and came before city council for approval.

“Most of the changes provide some clarification and are procedural updates,” said Glenn Greenhalgh, Nephi City Planning Administrator.

Seth Atkinson, city administrator, Kyle Marchant, city public works director, and Greenhalgh, sat down together and discussed the discrepancies in the subdivision section of the land use ordinance.

After the presentation by Greenhalgh, the commission determined to have Kasey Wright, city council attorney, prepare an ordinance for passage by the council at a future meeting.

Greenhalgh said that there were several significant changes addressed.

One of those was the time frame in which plat plans are submitted.

“The old language specified 10 working days for the development review committee to review the plans,” he said. “The new language says that plans must be submitted at least 14 days prior to a regularly scheduled planning commission meeting.”

He said this will allow a thorough review to take place by the development review committee prior to a planning commission hearing.

A traffic study will be required unless waived by the planning commission.

“All public improvements will be guaranteed for a period of one year after completion and acceptance from the city,” said Greenhalgh. “The guarantee used to be for a period of two years.”

Under the former ordinance, there was also no fee charged for vicinity plats and that was one of the changes being recommended by the planning commission.

The planning commission had been looking at the fees charged.

Cul-de-sac street turnarounds will need to be 120 feet in diameter.

The requirement had been different, he said. It had been more demanding.

“Let’s just clear it up,” he said.

He said that the planning commission recommended that the council approve the changes to the subdivision section of the land use ordinance.

Wright said he had reviewed the changes and approved the language.

Nathan Memmott, council member, had questions about traffic.

“We are updating our traffic study,” said Atkinson. “It is incumbent on us to keep planning.”

It was not always in the best interest of the city to require a traffic study for every subdivision, said Greenhalgh. For example, a one-lot subdivision, or a two-lot subdivision, where the infrastructure was already in place, did not really need to have a traffic study done.

If there was no impact, there should not be a need, he said. The city development review committee could make recommendations that would take care of any problems.

Mayor Glade Nielson said that he thought it was wise to get rid of the ambiguity in the subdivision section of the land use ordinance.

“They used to be called zoning ordinances but there are no longer zoning ordinances used as a legal term in the state of Utah,” said Greenhalgh.

Larry Ostler, city council member, said that the council had been working on the subdivision ordinance for some time.

“It is very timely that we make these changes now,” said Nielson.