[{"_1":2,"_105":-5,"_106":-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",[32,75,85,95],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6502939,"mediaKeyId","5682522-04db4a3eabe05461bc24b4e2a67a810b","parentId",5682522,"title","County launches revived volunteer center ‘Kane County CARES’ to rebuild service network","audioSeconds",585,"startMs",669000,"endMs",1254000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682522-04db4a3eabe05461bc24b4e2a67a810b&start=669&end=1254","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6502939/Utah/County-launches-revived-volunteer-center-Kane-County-CARES-to-rebuild-service-network","mediaUrl","author","Kane County Commission","date","2025-08-26T10:00:00Z","article","KANAB, Utah — Kane County officials on Aug. 26 introduced a relaunched county volunteer program, proposed to be called “Kane County CARES” (Community Action, Resources, Engagement and Service), and outlined early steps to rebuild outreach, data and a shared mission.

Why it matters: Local volunteer infrastructure supports social‑service programs, community events and time‑limited projects; county staff said reviving the volunteer center will help connect residents to nonprofits and county needs and provide a coordinated intake for court‑ordered community service placements.

Program outline presented: Jenna Cory, who works part time on the volunteer program and part time with county youth prevention coalitions, told commissioners she audited the existing volunteer lists and found many entries out of date. Cory proposed brand, mission and vision statements and described near‑term priorities:
- adopt a clear program name and mission (proposed: Kane County CARES),
- revamp the county volunteer webpage and sign‑up forms (clean the email list of inactive contacts),
- launch social media and short videos to promote volunteer impacts,
- support both episodic events (one‑off opportunities) and sustained volunteer roles (senior center, food distribution), and
- provide simple sign‑up tools (QR code for September service day) to collect volunteer contacts and availability.

Commissioners responded positively, thanked the county attorney’s office for administrative support, and asked Cory to circulate the draft mission and proposed website changes so commissioners could provide suggestions. Cory said she attended a national volunteer‑coordinator training and would bring a more detailed work plan and expense request to a future commission meeting.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to review a revamp plan and any modest website/marketing expenses; Cory will return with a more developed plan and recommended budget items.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Commission Meeting - August 26, 2025 Commission Audio","oneSentenceSummary","Kane County staff introduced a revamped volunteer program called Kane County CARES at the Aug. 26 commission meeting, outlining a mission, vision and outreach steps to rebuild a previously active volunteer center.","taxTitle","Kane County Commission, Kane County Boards and Commissions, Kane County, Utah","taxId",67578,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502944,"Commission cancels portable‑toilet contracts at three trailheads after cost blowout; dumpsters to remain",615,7506000,8121000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682522-04db4a3eabe05461bc24b4e2a67a810b&start=7506&end=8121","/articles/6502944/Utah/Commission-cancels-portabletoilet-contracts-at-three-trailheads-after-cost-blowout-dumpsters-to-remain","KANAB, Utah — Kane County commissioners voted Aug. 26 to terminate portable‑toilet contracts at three popular trailheads (including Belly of the Dragon, Sand Caves and the Toadstools) effective after the Labor Day holiday weekend, citing unexpectedly high costs for porta‑potty servicing and the need to preserve transient‑room‑tax (TRT) mitigation funds.

Why it matters: The county had allocated TRT funds to maintain visitor amenities at high‑use natural sites. Commissioners and staff told the meeting that the porta‑potty contract costs far outpaced estimates for the year and would have required an additional six‑figure appropriation to continue through the winter at the current service level.

What the county said: Staff reported the following cost realities:
- The county originally budgeted about $80,000 for the program this year but had already spent roughly $112,000 and was projected to reach approximately $220,000 if three porta‑potties per site were maintained through January.
- Dumpsters at the sites cost about $300–$360 per month for the three dumpsters combined, far less than porta‑potty service.

What commissioners decided: By unanimous vote, commissioners instructed staff to end porta‑potty servicing at the three sites after the Labor Day holiday and to leave dumpster service in place to reduce on‑site trash. The vote follows months of trial service and mounting invoices for weekly or multiple‑times‑weekly cleaning at heavily visited sites.

Concerns voiced at the meeting: Some commissioners and members of the public argued that removing toilets could create hygiene issues on public lands; others countered that the county should not be on the hook for an open‑ended, high‑cost contract for portable toilets on non‑county land and that better signage and traveler education could reduce impacts.

Implementation: Staff will discontinue toilet service after the holiday weekend, pay outstanding invoices through the current billing period, and continue dumpsters at the sites. County tourism and public‑works staff said they would coordinate signage and online materials to inform visitors of restroom availability (or lack of it) and advise planning for restroom stops in nearby communities.

Ending: Commissioners framed the decision as a fiscally necessary pause that preserves TRT funds for other mitigation projects while continuing trash control. The county left open the option to rebid or reconfigure visitor‑service contracts in future budget cycles if different service models or funding sources become available.","Faced with rising vendor charges, the Kane County Commission voted to cancel porta‑potty contracts at three heavily visited trailheads after Labor Day and to continue dumpster service; commissioners said TRT funds used to date were not sustainable at current spending rates.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502947,"Cedar Mountain service district outlines EMS costs; requests tourism‑tax help for nonresident response",1248,1512000,2760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682522-04db4a3eabe05461bc24b4e2a67a810b&start=1512&end=2760","/articles/6502947/Utah/Cedar-Mountain-service-district-outlines-EMS-costs-requests-tourismtax-help-for-nonresident-response","KANAB, Utah — Officials from the Cedar Mountain Service District (CMSD) briefed the Kane County Commission Aug. 26 on EMS and wildland operations, call volumes and finances, and urged the county to consider using transient‑room‑tax (TRT) funds to offset costs associated with nonresident emergency responses.

Why it matters: CMSD provides 24/7/365 paramedic‑level emergency medical services and fire protection to a wide area of the county that includes many visitors and nonresident users of public lands. County staff and the special‑district board said nonresident calls represent a majority of EMS demand and create a recurring operating gap.

Key facts CMSD presented (per district statements at the Aug. 26 meeting):
- Call volume: CMSD reported roughly 300–336 calls per year in recent years, with EMS accounting for about 61–79% of calls depending on the year. Over three years the district said EMS averaged about 69% of total call volume.
- Residency breakdown (2025 tracking): 88 resident calls and 140 nonresident calls recorded to date; approximately 62% of calls that year were nonresidents. The district reported 192 calls inside district boundaries and 37 outside the district boundary during the tracking period shared with the commission.
- Cost and revenue: The district estimated an annual average net cost for nonresident services at about $972,000. CMSD reported it receives roughly $120,000 per year from an agreement with the regional hospital for overnight coverage and has previously received a $150,000 TRT grant from the county; those revenue sources fall well short of total nonresident service costs, the district said.

District leaders described three service divisions: structure fire response, a wildland crew that generates income by staffing regional incidents, and EMS/transport services. Wildland deployments, they said, are a significant income source (the district cited roughly $800,000 in season income and said its program returned a high margin in recent years).

What the district asked: CMSD asked commissioners to consider TRT mitigation funding or other county help targeted to the large share of demand from tourists and other nonresidents. District staff said that, for the period they have been tracking data (about two years), nonresident EMS calls are roughly 61% of all EMS calls and account for the majority of expense.

County response and next steps: Commissioners and staff asked about data collection and agreed to coordinate dispatch/EMS reporting so the county and district track consistent categories (resident vs. nonresident, in‑state vs. out‑of‑state, short‑term rental vs. personal property). The county indicated it will use those data for any future TRT grant applications and budgeting decisions. No automatic county appropriation was made at the meeting; district leaders were asked to provide further accounting and documentation to support any formal TRT request.

District caveats: CMSD leaders said grant funding (state EMS and rural grants) has helped with capital and labor costs but is not guaranteed year to year; they advised the commission not to count on consistent grant levels when budgeting.

Ending: Commissioners thanked CMSD and district staff for detailed reporting and asked staff to work on consistent call‑tracking fields so the county can evaluate whether and how TRT mitigation dollars should be allocated to nonresident EMS costs.","Cedar Mountain Service District officials told the Kane County Commission their EMS and wildland programs are operating at a net cost driven largely by nonresident calls; officials asked the county to consider transient‑room‑tax (TRT) funding to cover visitor‑driven costs.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502953,"Commission approves Sky Haven rezoning after contested hearing; adopts two land‑use ordinance changes",396,2018000,2414000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682522-04db4a3eabe05461bc24b4e2a67a810b&start=2018&end=2414","/articles/6502953/Utah/Commission-approves-Sky-Haven-rezoning-after-contested-hearing-adopts-two-landuse-ordinance-changes","KANAB, Utah — At its Aug. 26 public meeting, the Kane County Commission approved a rezoning request to change two parcels in the Sky Haven area from agricultural to Rural‑10 (RU‑10) after a contested public hearing that focused on wildfire risk, narrow access roads and long‑term land‑use implications.

The commission also unanimously adopted two other land‑use ordinances: one vacating two 7½‑foot public utility easements in the Ponderosa Villas Subdivision (Ordinance 2025‑23) and another updating subdivision regulation language about dedications of non‑subdivision rights‑of‑way and roadways (Ordinance 2025‑25).

Why it matters: The RU‑10 zone is intended as a “bridge” category between agricultural and more intensive commercial uses. Neighbors and commissioners pressed applicants and planning staff on how the rezoning could affect fire response, dust on single‑lane roads, and the potential for future, larger development if the parcels change hands. County officials said the rezoning does not guarantee approvals for specific developments; the rezoned parcels must still clear conditional‑use permitting and other building and safety reviews before any tourism or lodging uses could begin.

What happened: Planning staff explained the rezoning application, mapped notices and public outreach (500‑foot notices and signs were posted), and described that the parcels are in a “dry subdivision” with limited buildable acreage. The applicants described a plan limited to clustered low‑impact tourism uses (glamping-style sites) occupying a small portion of the 163 acres; they said more than 150 acres would be preserved.

Public commenters raised several concerns, including:
- wildfire risk and limited evacuation/access on narrow dirt roads;
- added vehicle trips and dust from a potential guest program;
- whether deed restrictions or other recorded limits could prevent future, larger development.

County staff and the applicants responded that fire mitigation, road improvements and year‑round caretaker presence would be part of any conditional‑use permit (CUP) application; staff also noted many technical constraints in the ordinance (slope limits, septic and road standards) that limit buildable area. The applicants offered a voluntary deed restriction limiting build‑out to a specified number of units and said they would work with county departments during the CUP stage.

Votes and next steps: The commission approved the rezoning ordinance amendment (Ordinance 2025‑24). The applicants were instructed to proceed to the conditional‑use permitting stage; county staff said applicants must satisfy CUP conditions and infrastructure requirements before any development begins.

The commission also voted to adopt Ordinance 2025‑23 (vacating 7½‑foot utility easements in Ponderosa Villas, plat D) and Ordinance 2025‑25 (revisions to Kane County subdivision regulations on dedications). Both ordinances were approved unanimously.

Implementation and limits: County staff reminded the public that a zone change does not itself permit construction — subsequent CUP and building‑permit reviews are required. Commissioners and staff also noted the county cannot unilaterally require extensive county‑funded road upgrades for private development; any roadway work beyond normal maintenance typically requires separate agreements or budgeting.

Ending: The commission closed the land‑use items by directing staff to continue CUP review and by advising the applicants and neighbors to keep working with planning, public works and fire officials as the project advances.","After a public hearing with neighbors expressing wildfire and road‑access concerns, the Kane County Commission approved a rezoning request to Rural‑10 for two Sky Haven parcels and unanimously adopted two separate land‑use ordinances vacating utility easements and updating subdivision rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County launches revived volunteer center ‘Kane County CARES’ to rebuild service network

Commission cancels portable‑toilet contracts at three trailheads after cost blowout; dumpsters to remain

Cedar Mountain service district outlines EMS costs; requests tourism‑tax help for nonresident response

Commission approves Sky Haven rezoning after contested hearing; adopts two land‑use ordinance changes