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H.B. 236 Enrolled

             1     

LAND DEVELOPMENT REVISIONS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Melvin R. Brown

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions related to a county's regulation of land use and
             10      development.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines terms;
             14          .    prohibits a county from adopting a land use ordinance that, in certain circumstances,
             15      requires a property owner to revegetate or landscape;
             16          .    enacts provisions governing the application of a site plan; and
             17          .    makes technical corrections.
             18      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             19          None
             20      Other Special Clauses:
             21          None
             22      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             23      AMENDS:
             24          17-27a-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 231
             25          17-27a-505, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 326
             26      ENACTS:
             27          17-27a-522, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             28     
             29      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:


             30          Section 1. Section 17-27a-103 is amended to read:
             31           17-27a-103. Definitions.
             32          As used in this chapter:
             33          (1) "Affected entity" means a county, municipality, local district, special service
             34      district under Title 17D, Chapter 1, Special Service District Act, school district, interlocal
             35      cooperation entity established under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal Cooperation Act, specified
             36      property owner, property owners association, public utility, or the Utah Department of
             37      Transportation, if:
             38          (a) the entity's services or facilities are likely to require expansion or significant
             39      modification because of an intended use of land;
             40          (b) the entity has filed with the county a copy of the entity's general or long-range plan;
             41      or
             42          (c) the entity has filed with the county a request for notice during the same calendar
             43      year and before the county provides notice to an affected entity in compliance with a
             44      requirement imposed under this chapter.
             45          (2) "Appeal authority" means the person, board, commission, agency, or other body
             46      designated by ordinance to decide an appeal of a decision of a land use application or a
             47      variance.
             48          (3) "Billboard" means a freestanding ground sign located on industrial, commercial, or
             49      residential property if the sign is designed or intended to direct attention to a business, product,
             50      or service that is not sold, offered, or existing on the property where the sign is located.
             51          (4) (a) "Charter school" means:
             52          (i) an operating charter school;
             53          (ii) a charter school applicant that has its application approved by a chartering entity in
             54      accordance with Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 5, The Utah Charter Schools Act; or
             55          (iii) an entity who is working on behalf of a charter school or approved charter
             56      applicant to develop or construct a charter school building.
             57          (b) "Charter school" does not include a therapeutic school.


             58          (5) "Chief executive officer" means the person or body that exercises the executive
             59      powers of the county.
             60          (6) "Conditional use" means a land use that, because of its unique characteristics or
             61      potential impact on the county, surrounding neighbors, or adjacent land uses, may not be
             62      compatible in some areas or may be compatible only if certain conditions are required that
             63      mitigate or eliminate the detrimental impacts.
             64          (7) "Constitutional taking" means a governmental action that results in a taking of
             65      private property so that compensation to the owner of the property is required by the:
             66          (a) Fifth or Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States; or
             67          (b) Utah Constitution Article I, Section 22.
             68          (8) "Culinary water authority" means the department, agency, or public entity with
             69      responsibility to review and approve the feasibility of the culinary water system and sources for
             70      the subject property.
             71          (9) "Development activity" means:
             72          (a) any construction or expansion of a building, structure, or use that creates additional
             73      demand and need for public facilities;
             74          (b) any change in use of a building or structure that creates additional demand and need
             75      for public facilities; or
             76          (c) any change in the use of land that creates additional demand and need for public
             77      facilities.
             78          (10) (a) "Disability" means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits
             79      one or more of a person's major life activities, including a person having a record of such an
             80      impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment.
             81          (b) "Disability" does not include current illegal use of, or addiction to, any federally
             82      controlled substance, as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C.
             83      802.
             84          (11) "Educational facility":
             85          (a) means:


             86          (i) a school district's building at which pupils assemble to receive instruction in a
             87      program for any combination of grades from preschool through grade 12, including
             88      kindergarten and a program for children with disabilities;
             89          (ii) a structure or facility:
             90          (A) located on the same property as a building described in Subsection (11)(a)(i); and
             91          (B) used in support of the use of that building; and
             92          (iii) a building to provide office and related space to a school district's administrative
             93      personnel; and
             94          (b) does not include:
             95          (i) land or a structure, including land or a structure for inventory storage, equipment
             96      storage, food processing or preparing, vehicle storage or maintenance, or similar use that is:
             97          (A) not located on the same property as a building described in Subsection (11)(a)(i);
             98      and
             99          (B) used in support of the purposes of a building described in Subsection (11)(a)(i); or
             100          (ii) a therapeutic school.
             101          (12) "Elderly person" means a person who is 60 years old or older, who desires or
             102      needs to live with other elderly persons in a group setting, but who is capable of living
             103      independently.
             104          (13) "Fire authority" means the department, agency, or public entity with responsibility
             105      to review and approve the feasibility of fire protection and suppression services for the subject
             106      property.
             107          (14) "Flood plain" means land that:
             108          (a) is within the 100-year flood plain designated by the Federal Emergency
             109      Management Agency; or
             110          (b) has not been studied or designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
             111      but presents a likelihood of experiencing chronic flooding or a catastrophic flood event because
             112      the land has characteristics that are similar to those of a 100-year flood plain designated by the
             113      Federal Emergency Management Agency.


             114          (15) "Gas corporation" has the same meaning as defined in Section 54-2-1 .
             115          (16) "General plan" means a document that a county adopts that sets forth general
             116      guidelines for proposed future development of the unincorporated land within the county.
             117          (17) "Geologic hazard" means:
             118          (a) a surface fault rupture;
             119          (b) shallow groundwater;
             120          (c) liquefaction;
             121          (d) a landslide;
             122          (e) a debris flow;
             123          (f) unstable soil;
             124          (g) a rock fall; or
             125          (h) any other geologic condition that presents a risk:
             126          (i) to life;
             127          (ii) of substantial loss of real property; or
             128          (iii) of substantial damage to real property.
             129          (18) "Internal lot restriction" means a platted note, platted demarcation, or platted
             130      designation that:
             131          (a) runs with the land; and
             132          (b) (i) creates a restriction that is enclosed within the perimeter of a lot described on
             133      the plat; or
             134          (ii) designates a development condition that is enclosed within the perimeter of a lot
             135      described on the plat.
             136          (19) "Hookup fee" means a fee for the installation and inspection of any pipe, line,
             137      meter, or appurtenance to connect to a county water, sewer, storm water, power, or other utility
             138      system.
             139          (20) "Identical plans" means building plans submitted to a county that:
             140          (a) are clearly marked as "identical plans";
             141          (b) are substantially identical building plans that were previously submitted to and


             142      reviewed and approved by the county; and
             143          (c) describe a building that:
             144          (i) is located on land zoned the same as the land on which the building described in the
             145      previously approved plans is located;
             146          (ii) is subject to the same geological and meteorological conditions and the same law
             147      as the building described in the previously approved plans;
             148          (iii) has a floor plan identical to the building plan previously submitted to and reviewed
             149      and approved by the county; and
             150          (iv) does not require any additional engineering or analysis.
             151          (21) "Impact fee" means a payment of money imposed under Title 11, Chapter 36a,
             152      Impact Fees Act.
             153          (22) "Improvement assurance" means a surety bond, letter of credit, cash, or other
             154      security:
             155          (a) to guaranty the proper completion of an improvement;
             156          (b) that is required as a condition precedent to:
             157          (i) recording a subdivision plat; or
             158          (ii) beginning development activity; and
             159          (c) that is offered to a land use authority to induce the land use authority, before actual
             160      construction of required improvements, to:
             161          (i) consent to the recording of a subdivision plat; or
             162          (ii) issue a permit for development activity.
             163          (23) "Improvement assurance warranty" means a promise that the materials and
             164      workmanship of improvements:
             165          (a) comport with standards that the county has officially adopted; and
             166          (b) will not fail in any material respect within a warranty period.
             167          (24) "Interstate pipeline company" means a person or entity engaged in natural gas
             168      transportation subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under
             169      the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 717 et seq.


             170          (25) "Intrastate pipeline company" means a person or entity engaged in natural gas
             171      transportation that is not subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory
             172      Commission under the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 717 et seq.
             173          (26) "Land use application" means an application required by a county's land use
             174      ordinance.
             175          (27) "Land use authority" means a person, board, commission, agency, or other body
             176      designated by the local legislative body to act upon a land use application.
             177          (28) "Land use ordinance" means a planning, zoning, development, or subdivision
             178      ordinance of the county, but does not include the general plan.
             179          (29) "Land use permit" means a permit issued by a land use authority.
             180          (30) "Legislative body" means the county legislative body, or for a county that has
             181      adopted an alternative form of government, the body exercising legislative powers.
             182          (31) "Local district" means any entity under Title 17B, Limited Purpose Local
             183      Government Entities - Local Districts, and any other governmental or quasi-governmental
             184      entity that is not a county, municipality, school district, or the state.
             185          (32) "Lot line adjustment" means the relocation of the property boundary line in a
             186      subdivision between two adjoining lots with the consent of the owners of record.
             187          (33) "Moderate income housing" means housing occupied or reserved for occupancy
             188      by households with a gross household income equal to or less than 80% of the median gross
             189      income for households of the same size in the county in which the housing is located.
             190          (34) "Nominal fee" means a fee that reasonably reimburses a county only for time spent
             191      and expenses incurred in:
             192          (a) verifying that building plans are identical plans; and
             193          (b) reviewing and approving those minor aspects of identical plans that differ from the
             194      previously reviewed and approved building plans.
             195          (35) "Noncomplying structure" means a structure that:
             196          (a) legally existed before its current land use designation; and
             197          (b) because of one or more subsequent land use ordinance changes, does not conform


             198      to the setback, height restrictions, or other regulations, excluding those regulations that govern
             199      the use of land.
             200          (36) "Nonconforming use" means a use of land that:
             201          (a) legally existed before its current land use designation;
             202          (b) has been maintained continuously since the time the land use ordinance regulation
             203      governing the land changed; and
             204          (c) because of one or more subsequent land use ordinance changes, does not conform
             205      to the regulations that now govern the use of the land.
             206          (37) "Official map" means a map drawn by county authorities and recorded in the
             207      county recorder's office that:
             208          (a) shows actual and proposed rights-of-way, centerline alignments, and setbacks for
             209      highways and other transportation facilities;
             210          (b) provides a basis for restricting development in designated rights-of-way or between
             211      designated setbacks to allow the government authorities time to purchase or otherwise reserve
             212      the land; and
             213          (c) has been adopted as an element of the county's general plan.
             214          (38) "Person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, organization, association,
             215      trust, governmental agency, or any other legal entity.
             216          (39) "Plan for moderate income housing" means a written document adopted by a
             217      county legislative body that includes:
             218          (a) an estimate of the existing supply of moderate income housing located within the
             219      county;
             220          (b) an estimate of the need for moderate income housing in the county for the next five
             221      years as revised biennially;
             222          (c) a survey of total residential land use;
             223          (d) an evaluation of how existing land uses and zones affect opportunities for moderate
             224      income housing; and
             225          (e) a description of the county's program to encourage an adequate supply of moderate


             226      income housing.
             227          (40) "Plat" means a map or other graphical representation of lands being laid out and
             228      prepared in accordance with Section 17-27a-603 , 17-23-17 , or 57-8-13 .
             229          (41) "Potential geologic hazard area" means an area that:
             230          (a) is designated by a Utah Geological Survey map, county geologist map, or other
             231      relevant map or report as needing further study to determine the area's potential for geologic
             232      hazard; or
             233          (b) has not been studied by the Utah Geological Survey or a county geologist but
             234      presents the potential of geologic hazard because the area has characteristics similar to those of
             235      a designated geologic hazard area.
             236          (42) "Public agency" means:
             237          (a) the federal government;
             238          (b) the state;
             239          (c) a county, municipality, school district, local district, special service district, or other
             240      political subdivision of the state; or
             241          (d) a charter school.
             242          (43) "Public hearing" means a hearing at which members of the public are provided a
             243      reasonable opportunity to comment on the subject of the hearing.
             244          (44) "Public meeting" means a meeting that is required to be open to the public under
             245      Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act.
             246          (45) "Receiving zone" means an unincorporated area of a county that the county
             247      designates, by ordinance, as an area in which an owner of land may receive a transferable
             248      development right.
             249          (46) "Record of survey map" means a map of a survey of land prepared in accordance
             250      with Section 17-23-17 .
             251          (47) "Residential facility for elderly persons" means a single-family or multiple-family
             252      dwelling unit that meets the requirements of Section 17-27a-515 , but does not include a health
             253      care facility as defined by Section 26-21-2 .


             254          (48) "Residential facility for persons with a disability" means a residence:
             255          (a) in which more than one person with a disability resides; and
             256          (b) (i) is licensed or certified by the Department of Human Services under Title 62A,
             257      Chapter 2, Licensure of Programs and Facilities; or
             258          (ii) is licensed or certified by the Department of Health under Title 26, Chapter 21,
             259      Health Care Facility Licensing and Inspection Act.
             260          (49) "Rules of order and procedure" means a set of rules that govern and prescribe in a
             261      public meeting:
             262          (a) parliamentary order and procedure;
             263          (b) ethical behavior; and
             264          (c) civil discourse.
             265          (50) "Sanitary sewer authority" means the department, agency, or public entity with
             266      responsibility to review and approve the feasibility of sanitary sewer services or onsite
             267      wastewater systems.
             268          (51) "Sending zone" means an unincorporated area of a county that the county
             269      designates, by ordinance, as an area from which an owner of land may transfer a transferable
             270      development right.
             271          (52) "Site plan" means a document or map that may be required by a county during a
             272      preliminary review preceding the issuance of a building permit to demonstrate that an owner's
             273      or developer's proposed development activity meets a land use requirement.
             274          [(52)] (53) "Specified public agency" means:
             275          (a) the state;
             276          (b) a school district; or
             277          (c) a charter school.
             278          [(53)] (54) "Specified public utility" means an electrical corporation, gas corporation,
             279      or telephone corporation, as those terms are defined in Section 54-2-1 .
             280          [(54)] (55) "State" includes any department, division, or agency of the state.
             281          [(55)] (56) "Street" means a public right-of-way, including a highway, avenue,


             282      boulevard, parkway, road, lane, walk, alley, viaduct, subway, tunnel, bridge, public easement,
             283      or other way.
             284          [(56)] (57) (a) "Subdivision" means any land that is divided, resubdivided or proposed
             285      to be divided into two or more lots, parcels, sites, units, plots, or other division of land for the
             286      purpose, whether immediate or future, for offer, sale, lease, or development either on the
             287      installment plan or upon any and all other plans, terms, and conditions.
             288          (b) "Subdivision" includes:
             289          (i) the division or development of land whether by deed, metes and bounds description,
             290      devise and testacy, map, plat, or other recorded instrument; and
             291          (ii) except as provided in Subsection [(56)] (57)(c), divisions of land for residential and
             292      nonresidential uses, including land used or to be used for commercial, agricultural, and
             293      industrial purposes.
             294          (c) "Subdivision" does not include:
             295          (i) a bona fide division or partition of agricultural land for agricultural purposes;
             296          (ii) a recorded agreement between owners of adjoining properties adjusting their
             297      mutual boundary if:
             298          (A) no new lot is created; and
             299          (B) the adjustment does not violate applicable land use ordinances;
             300          (iii) a recorded document, executed by the owner of record:
             301          (A) revising the legal description of more than one contiguous unsubdivided parcel of
             302      property into one legal description encompassing all such parcels of property; or
             303          (B) joining a subdivided parcel of property to another parcel of property that has not
             304      been subdivided, if the joinder does not violate applicable land use ordinances;
             305          (iv) a bona fide division or partition of land in a county other than a first class county
             306      for the purpose of siting, on one or more of the resulting separate parcels:
             307          (A) an electrical transmission line or a substation;
             308          (B) a natural gas pipeline or a regulation station; or
             309          (C) an unmanned telecommunications, microwave, fiber optic, electrical, or other


             310      utility service regeneration, transformation, retransmission, or amplification facility;
             311          (v) a recorded agreement between owners of adjoining subdivided properties adjusting
             312      their mutual boundary if:
             313          (A) no new dwelling lot or housing unit will result from the adjustment; and
             314          (B) the adjustment will not violate any applicable land use ordinance; or
             315          (vi) a bona fide division or partition of land by deed or other instrument where the land
             316      use authority expressly approves in writing the division in anticipation of further land use
             317      approvals on the parcel or parcels.
             318          (d) The joining of a subdivided parcel of property to another parcel of property that has
             319      not been subdivided does not constitute a subdivision under this Subsection [(56)] (57) as to
             320      the unsubdivided parcel of property or subject the unsubdivided parcel to the county's
             321      subdivision ordinance.
             322          [(57)] (58) "Therapeutic school" means a residential group living facility:
             323          (a) for four or more individuals who are not related to:
             324          (i) the owner of the facility; or
             325          (ii) the primary service provider of the facility;
             326          (b) that serves students who have a history of failing to function:
             327          (i) at home;
             328          (ii) in a public school; or
             329          (iii) in a nonresidential private school; and
             330          (c) that offers:
             331          (i) room and board; and
             332          (ii) an academic education integrated with:
             333          (A) specialized structure and supervision; or
             334          (B) services or treatment related to a disability, an emotional development, a
             335      behavioral development, a familial development, or a social development.
             336          [(58)] (59) "Township" means a contiguous, geographically defined portion of the
             337      unincorporated area of a county, established under this part or reconstituted or reinstated under


             338      Section 17-27a-306 , with planning and zoning functions as exercised through the township
             339      planning commission, as provided in this chapter, but with no legal or political identity
             340      separate from the county and no taxing authority, except that "township" means a former
             341      township under Laws of Utah 1996, Chapter 308, where the context so indicates.
             342          [(59)] (60) "Transferable development right" means a right to develop and use land that
             343      originates by an ordinance that authorizes a land owner in a designated sending zone to transfer
             344      land use rights from a designated sending zone to a designated receiving zone.
             345          [(60)] (61) "Unincorporated" means the area outside of the incorporated area of a
             346      municipality.
             347          [(61)] (62) "Water interest" means any right to the beneficial use of water, including:
             348          (a) each of the rights listed in Section 73-1-11 ; and
             349          (b) an ownership interest in the right to the beneficial use of water represented by:
             350          (i) a contract; or
             351          (ii) a share in a water company, as defined in Section 73-3-3.5 .
             352          [(62)] (63) "Zoning map" means a map, adopted as part of a land use ordinance, that
             353      depicts land use zones, overlays, or districts.
             354          Section 2. Section 17-27a-505 is amended to read:
             355           17-27a-505. Zoning districts.
             356          (1) (a) The legislative body may divide the territory over which it has jurisdiction into
             357      zoning districts of a number, shape, and area that it considers appropriate to carry out the
             358      purposes of this chapter.
             359          (b) Within those zoning districts, the legislative body may regulate and restrict the
             360      erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, or use of buildings and structures, and
             361      the use of land.
             362          (c) A county may enact an ordinance regulating land use and development in a flood
             363      plain or potential geologic hazard area to:
             364          (i) protect life; and
             365          (ii) prevent:


             366          (A) the substantial loss of real property; or
             367          (B) substantial damage to real property.
             368          (d) A county may not adopt a land use ordinance requiring a property owner to
             369      revegetate or landscape a single family dwelling disturbance area unless the property is located
             370      in a flood zone or geologic hazard except as required in Title 19, Chapter 5, Water Quality Act,
             371      to comply with federal law related to water pollution.
             372          (2) The legislative body shall ensure that the regulations are uniform for each class or
             373      kind of buildings throughout each zone, but the regulations in one zone may differ from those
             374      in other zones.
             375          (3) (a) There is no minimum area or diversity of ownership requirement for a zone
             376      designation.
             377          (b) Neither the size of a zoning district nor the number of landowners within the
             378      district may be used as evidence of the illegality of a zoning district or of the invalidity of a
             379      county decision.
             380          Section 3. Section 17-27a-522 is enacted to read:
             381          17-27a-522. Site plan.
             382          A site plan submitted to a county for approval of a building permit:
             383          (1) if modified, may not be used to impose a penalty on a property owner;
             384          (2) does not represent an agreement for a specific final layout;
             385          (3) does not bind an owner from future development activity or modifications to a
             386      development activity on the property; and
             387          (4) is superceded by the terms of a building permit requirement.


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