[{"_1":2,"_94":-5,"_95":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6667962,"mediaKeyId","2249026-5efc669fc410e3d3984f0c26df05d2bb","parentId",2249026,"title","Virgin Town Council adopts water fees, creates town manager post and approves rezoning; several code items move forward","audioSeconds",885,"startMs",1453000,"endMs",2338000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249026-5efc669fc410e3d3984f0c26df05d2bb&start=1453&end=2338","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249026-5efc669fc410e3d3984f0c26df05d2bb/thumbnail_1453000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6667962/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Virgin-Town-Council-adopts-water-fees-creates-town-manager-post-and-approves-rezoning-several-code-items-move-forward","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667962-32cbb8e3603b466c6a2408efc94cd700/orig.mp4?Expires=1775459273&Signature=kaEXKarjJbTu5soyP9A8cax-r468dkivM8YlAQiNaK5XOqFCLKaeKu73o70prl8spJBawhVDShH0iTI0XYHD37OatYRPT5FtJrjF2tYxMUSwfs6WPPNcr6qDmEgyRXHJ6y295AC3xs6ztBsy5yCJQWMbb6c2N2kWF6vNn6WnjkNHHPRXSRwKOXKPW-F7mNaaV6OWW7detr30lYbZNlgWYqF33jrYgf30sXZeXU25tlvyrwo7wcCMUEdgntWRSXBLjJNi~~T4ysytWpuKKvSo3fFxOGWB3xcdEhwH-rEHx3L2i7YYArN9yWn2x5g1nHJ2Y29tjJicsbPu7g~DCo2OmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virgin","date","2025-02-07T20:07:58.313Z","article","The Virgin Town Council on Jan. 21 approved multiple ordinances, a resolution and administrative purchases that the council said are tied to regional water planning, ongoing code updates and town operations.

The council adopted the remaining excess‑use water fee required by the town’s Regional Water Supply Agreement with the county Water Conservancy District, voted to add those fees to the town’s fee schedule, created a new town‑manager position in the municipal code, repealed the code’s uses chart and removed lodging and service stations from commercial zones, and approved a property rezoning conditioned on a development agreement. The council also approved the purchase of a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado for public works.

Why it matters: Together the votes finalize fees the town must adopt as a member of the county Water Conservancy District, set up a staff position the council said will be needed in future but does not fill it immediately, and change land‑use rules that could affect what kinds of businesses are permitted in town.

Key actions and outcomes

- Water fees (Ordinance 2025-01) and fee‑schedule (Resolution R2025‑A): The council held a public hearing and adopted the final fee in the regional agreement applying to homes built before Jan. 1, 2023: $1 per 1,000 gallons for monthly water use in excess of 36,000 gallons. Council also approved a resolution to add the new charges to the town fee schedule. The council recorded a roll‑call approval; public commenters asked whether the rate structure treated newer and older homes differently. Council members said the fees come from the regional agreement the town joined and that joining gives the town a vote at the district’s table going forward.

- Creation of town‑manager position (Ordinance 2025‑02): The council voted to add a town‑manager position to the municipal code. Councillors clarified the ordinance only creates the position; it does not hire or appropriate funds for a manager. A roll‑call vote passed with a majority in favor.

- Repeal of uses chart and code cleanup (Ordinance 2025‑03): Council approved repeal of the existing uses chart in the zoning code and removed references to it from related chapters. Members and the planning commission said the chart had been inconsistent with zone text and caused confusion.

- Removal of lodging and service stations from commercial zones (Ordinance 2025‑04): The council approved removing “lodging” and “service station” uses from commercial zones except in the highway resort zone. Commissioners, planning staff and public commenters debated tradeoffs between short‑term lodging revenue and the town’s long‑term vision for locally serving businesses. The ordinance passed on a roll call; several council members voted no.

- Rezoning and development agreement (Ordinance 2025‑05): The council approved a zone‑map amendment (rural‑residential to commercial) for a parcel owned by an applicant, subject to a development agreement that the applicant will prepare and the town attorney will review. The development agreement will prohibit certain uses (applicant agreed to prohibit hotels, motels, automobile service stations and food trucks on the site) and include conditions such as dark‑sky‑compliant lighting, limits on light trespass and noise decibel standards; council also required that outside entertainment, if any, be oriented away from the highway (behind the building). The motion passed 3‑2.

- Public‑works vehicle purchase: Council approved purchase of a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado (approximately $26,554) to provide an additional vehicle for public‑works staff. Council also directed staff to continue searching for a low‑mileage small SUV for general town use and code‑enforcement.

What’s next: The development agreement tied to the rezoning will be revised per council direction and sent to the town attorney for review and return to council for final approval. Code and ordinance language that was tabled or needs final formatting will return to a future meeting.

Council comments captured in the meeting record

Council members expressed differing priorities: some urged preserving town revenue and the capacity to pay for infrastructure, while others emphasized conserving rural residential land and limiting lodging growth. Several council members and planning commissioners repeatedly asked for clearer ordinance formatting and better maps when the council takes up zoning subjects.

Votes at a glance (as recorded)

- Ordinance 2025‑01 (excess‑use fee for pre‑2023 homes): adopted (roll call recorded at meeting).
- Resolution R2025‑A (fee schedule): adopted (roll call recorded at meeting).
- Ordinance 2025‑02 (create town‑manager position): adopted (roll call: April yes; Paul yes; Jean yes; Misty no; Valerie yes).
- Ordinance 2025‑03 (repeal uses chart / code cleanup): adopted (unanimous).
- Ordinance 2025‑04 (remove lodging and service stations from commercial zones except highway‑resort): adopted (roll call recorded; at least one council member voted no).
- Ordinance 2025‑05 (rezoning subject to development agreement): approved, subject to applicant delivering the development agreement with conditions (motion carried 3‑2).
- Public‑works vehicle purchase (administrative action): approved (majority vote).

Meeting context: The council combined open forum and council comments, heard a planning commission report, public comment on stormwater and water and several rezoning concerns, then took the above actions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Council Part 2 1 -21- 25","oneSentenceSummary","The Virgin Town Council on Jan. 21 adopted multiple ordinances and a resolution tied to regional water planning, created a town‑manager position in the municipal code, approved a commercial rezoning subject to a development agreement, and purchased a public‑works truck.","taxTitle","Virgin , Washington County, Utah","taxId",7486,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667954,"Council approves rezoning for property owner Michelle Keelan subject to development agreement with lighting and noise limits",2769,4871000,7640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249026-5efc669fc410e3d3984f0c26df05d2bb&start=4871&end=7640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249026-5efc669fc410e3d3984f0c26df05d2bb/thumbnail_4871000.jpg","/articles/6667954/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Council-approves-rezoning-for-property-owner-Michelle-Keelan-subject-to-development-agreement-with-lighting-and-noise-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667954-934f986ce7f47b3566a6ce3ea44e1f49/orig.mp4?Expires=1775459273&Signature=fhFA7ONHABSQ1MyWZfzNTSZ6oAk8r5QB7s6e~McuJf5WHfQMzhW3WcBGVDAEO1xxUSwCgEs4mJ9TwraSv8gRqIOV9SUxUENAgPxLEu9ta--WmBGU9REVcSLc69K5bx0RBj~9brCgsCIp4Tth~-yGejGEUpB2DyJQHn0YuUsZ6W4~8BXm7nJeYWCzuUPyxUa~7Y3LSGFG5PjhevR-BN~05anYq3klP6nJQug-NH~2ZAVq99fNOhybU6xnMwcnTzAHLJqal1KF1FFbs0R-yTlYpjcWSW8~~Kh9ciEUdXd91yEfjORgF0Y017jfqUo9~a8axLlg5nbG3xfLTxKyQqLRPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virgin Town Council on Jan. 21 approved a rezoning from rural‑residential to commercial for a parcel owned by applicant Michelle Keelan, contingent on a development agreement the applicant will prepare and the town attorney will review.

The council’s motion requires the development agreement to prohibit certain uses on the site — specifically hotels, motels, automobile service stations and food trucks — and to include standards the council said would reduce impacts on neighboring Desert Gardens and the town’s dark‑sky aims. Council members specified inclusion of dark‑sky‑compliant lighting, restrictions on light trespass and an enforceable noise‑decibel limit. Council also requested that, if outdoor entertainment occurs, any speakers or performance areas be located behind buildings rather than toward the highway to reduce highway noise impacts.

Traffic and safety concerns were raised repeatedly. One council member proposed conditioning the rezoning on installation of a stoplight, roundabout or other control at the SR‑9/Shee Bridge Road intersection; council discussion noted UDOT funding and project timelines make such infrastructure uncertain and that a traffic mitigation condition lacked the support of three council members needed to adopt it.

Applicant and planning commission

Planning Commission chair Darlene reported a split recommendation from the commission: 3 commissioners favored the proposal with conditions and 2 opposed or recommended different approaches. The applicant provided a draft development agreement and accepted the commission’s suggested limits on lodging and noise as part of the negotiation; councilors asked the applicant to revise the draft to include the lighting and noise terms and to resubmit to the town attorney.

Vote and next steps

The council approved the rezoning subject to the development agreement on a 3–2 roll‑call vote. The council instructed the applicant to return a revised development agreement reflecting the council’s conditions; the town attorney will review the document before the council considers final approval of the agreement.

Context

Council members divided on the broader policy question of how much lodging and commercial development the town should allow near the highway. Supporters of the rezoning argued the conditions protect neighbors and allow the applicant to proceed with limited commercial uses; opponents said preserving rural residential land and waiting for the town’s general‑plan updates would be preferable.

Provenance: The council motion and the roll call are recorded in the Jan. 21 meeting transcript; staff and the applicant will revise the development agreement and return it for attorney review and council final action.","The Virgin Town Council approved a zone‑map change from rural‑residential to commercial for an applicant’s parcel, but only after requiring the applicant to execute a development agreement that bans hotels, motels, service stations and food trucks and includes lighting and noise limits.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":90,"_53":91,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":92,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":93,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667957,"Virgin Council adopts final excess‑use water fee required by regional agreement","/articles/6667957/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Virgin-Council-adopts-final-excessuse-water-fee-required-by-regional-agreement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667957-5489bc669b914e94b9d7095dcd6b80f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775459273&Signature=MXBmADtdbfJ6~THwftuQGqlMcCKHDdmn8UKvrWlYBooSj29tdx6aWdSY3PYlghKwxenKx5zHGZq0m4vDgNsspy~N9oDdE8valxbtzQEqXBvSPve4B9UFnbZzJtCPNi9AczCmf3m7YYamhD4gh7nWb2hB0zDDHsOK50pYUiZ4m8GcF1dE2HK7h9G5C4kvbaz6SlqJnF4kZiospe2dFGXjAi1DyE9fvwUs9jz70b-gXtY5ZRObqS1d~nXWyUWFD9kdgkIt4nSU4sEXpjC6GwIATBkD~sxdWfJzGpa93YkTRv41MSqm34TCYLbfwvdxd65113c9LFsz-FQrDJztEjlPNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virgin Town Council adopted, after a public hearing on Jan. 21, an ordinance implementing an excess‑use water surcharge required by the town’s Regional Water Supply Agreement with the county Water Conservancy District.

Under the ordinance the council approved, homes built before Jan. 1, 2023 will be charged $1 for each 1,000 gallons of monthly water use in excess of 36,000 gallons. The council previously adopted a separate $1.75 monthly water‑development surcharge for each connection in November. The new charge is the last of the fees the council must add to comply with the regional agreement the town joined.

During the hearing, several residents questioned whether the schedule — which treats newer houses and older houses differently — is discriminatory. One commenter said it “feels discriminatory” that older, longer‑term residents would pay a lower surcharge than newer arrivals; council members and staff responded that the fee schedule is part of the regional agreement the county district requires members to adopt and that by joining the town now gains a seat at the district’s table for future fee discussions.

Council members and water‑district representatives described the fees as a county‑wide approach to fund development of new and replacement water sources. The council also adopted Resolution R2025‑A to list the new charges on the town’s official fee schedule and instructed staff to update billing systems to implement the surcharge.

What was decided: Ordinance 2025‑01 (excess‑use water fee) was adopted following the public hearing. Resolution R2025‑A was also adopted to add the fees to the fee schedule.

What comes next: Staff will post the ordinance and updated fee schedule, and the town’s billing system will be updated to collect the surcharge. The council said it will participate in future Water Conservancy District meetings on any future fee changes.

Speakers: During public comment residents raised fairness concerns about differing charges for pre‑2023 and post‑2023 homes; council members noted a handful of high‑use accounts (pools, leaks, large‑capacity users) are most likely to trigger the surcharge and that county‑wide data indicated a larger share of excess use outside the town.

Vote: Council adopted the ordinance and accompanying resolution by recorded vote at the meeting.","The council adopted an excess‑use water surcharge for homes built before Jan. 1, 2023, as required by the county Water Conservancy District’s Regional Water Supply Agreement; the fee charges $1 per 1,000 gallons for monthly usage above 36,000 gallons.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Virgin Town Council adopts water fees, creates town manager post and approves rezoning; several code items move forward

Council approves rezoning for property owner Michelle Keelan subject to development agreement with lighting and noise limits

Virgin Council adopts final excess‑use water fee required by regional agreement