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JOINT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING WATER-EFFICIENT

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LANDSCAPING ORDINANCES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION

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2024 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Doug Owens

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Senate Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This resolution encourages municipalities and counties to address water efficient land
11     use for new construction.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This resolution:
14          ▸     recognizes the importance of water to the state;
15          ▸     supports water-efficient landscaping as a key strategy for meeting water
16     optimization goals; and
17          ▸     recommends that municipalities and counties adopt for new construction
18     water-efficient landscaping ordinances and water use and preservation elements in
19     general plans.
20     Special Clauses:
21          None
22     

23     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake reached a record low water level in November 2022,
25     resulting in salinity levels that threatened the Great Salt Lake's ecosystem;
26          WHEREAS, the Utah Division of Water Resources regional water goals, adopted in
27     2019, challenge Utah residents to achieve between a 15% and 27% reduction in gallons per
28     capita per day water use in individual regions throughout the state by 2040;
29          WHEREAS, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute projected that population growth in
30     Utah will result in an increase of 35% more households in 2040 and 84% more households in
31     2060 than in 2025;
32          WHEREAS, the majority of culinary water delivered to households throughout the year
33     is used for outdoor purposes;
34          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake Commissioner issued his 2024 Great Salt Lake
35     Strategic Plan which recognizes water-wise landscaping for new development as one of the
36     quickest strategies for reaching regional conservation goals;
37          WHEREAS, the Legislature directed cities and counties to adopt a water use and
38     preservation element in their respective general plan documents by December 31, 2025;
39          WHEREAS, the general plan water use and preservation element is required to include
40     recommendations for low water use landscaping standards for most new development
41     throughout the state;
42          WHEREAS, using proven design techniques such as Localscapes, landscaping for
43     homes and businesses can still include trees, shrubs, and other plants that are watered through
44     drip irrigation to create an attractive appearance using smaller amounts of water-intensive lawn
45     and avoid the creation of heat islands;
46          WHEREAS, many local governments have adopted updated or new ordinances
47     requiring water efficient landscaping in new construction so residents will have access to
48     financial incentives to assist in removing nonfunctional lawn from existing landscapes;
49          WHEREAS, despite the adoption of ordinances by some local governments,
50     approximately 40% of the residents of the Great Salt Lake basin live in a community with no,
51     or inadequate, requirements for landscaping associated with new construction; and
52          WHEREAS, by reducing their residents' water demand for outdoor water use, counties
53     and municipalities can play an important role in shouldering their share of stretching the state's
54     water supply and, where needed, benefiting the environment; and
55          WHEREAS, reducing the amount of water devoted to outdoor landscaping purposes
56     will require a concerted effort through changes to new and existing development:
57          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Utah calls
58     on municipalities and counties throughout the state to engage in meaningful conversations with
59     all relevant stakeholders to ensure that their respective general plans include a substantive and
60     actionable water use and preservation element that is adopted or updated as soon as reasonably
61     possible.
62          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature expresses its urgent call for those
63     municipalities and counties who have not yet adopted water efficiency standards for new
64     construction, especially those located within the drainage of the Great Salt Lake, to
65     immediately begin the process of doing so.
66          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Utah League
67     of Cities and Towns, the Utah Association of Counties, and the following municipalities in the
68     Great Salt Lake Basin:
69      AltaMapleton
70      AmalgaMarriott-Slaterville
71      Bear RiverMendon
72      Brigham CityMillville
73      BrightonMona
74      Cedar FortNephi
75      CharlestonNewton
76      ClarkstonNorth Ogden
77      CoalvilleOrem
78      Copperton TownshipParadise
79      CorinnePerry
80      CornishPlain City
81      DanielPleasant Grove
82      DeweyvillePleasant View
83      ElwoodPlymouth
84      Erda CityPortage
85      FairfieldProvidence
86      FieldingProvo
87      Garden CityRandolph
88      GarlandRichmond
89      GenolaRiver Heights
90      GoshenRocky Ridge
91      GrantsvilleRush Valley
92      HarrisvilleSalem
93      HeneferSaratoga Springs
94      HideoutSnowville
95      HighlandSpringville
96      HoneyvilleStockton
97      HooperTremonton
98      HowellTrenton
99      HuntsvilleVernon
100      HyrumWallsburg
101      IndependenceWellsville
102      InterlakenWendover
103      Lake Point CityWest Point
104      LaketownWillard
105      LewistonWoodland Hills
106      LoganWoodruff
107      Mantua