Council Corner

Notifications & Deliberation

The City Council has been working to provide expanded notification and deliberation on issues that affect our community. The following items are examples of that effort:

1. The State of Utah law requires that every property owner within a 300 feet radius of a proposed zoning or general plan amendment be notified (regardless of how many notices go out). Washington City has enhanced that requirement by stating that “every property owner within a 300 feet radius, as long as at least 30 notices (with no duplicates) are sent out. If there are less than 30 different property owners (no duplicates) within the 300 feet radius, then the minimum radius will be increased until at least 30 property owner notices are sent out.

2. Public hearings were followed, on the Council agenda, by action on the proposal. But often that public hearing was the first opportunity for the City Council to hear the proposal and to hear from the public on the proposal. By waiting for City Council action until the next public meeting (usually two weeks), it has provided for more time for Council members to study the issues raised at the public hearing. This helps us to become more informed, and to avoid quick decisions on issues that often, greatly, affect our community.

3. A subsequent article will describe the ways that communication/notification is being enhanced electronically.

Kolene Granger

Councilwoman

kgranger@WashingtonCity.org