Herriman updates planning commission on 2025 moderate‑income housing plan and progress on zoning and ADU steps

Herriman City planning staff briefed the planning commission on the city’s 2025 moderate‑income housing plan annual report, summarizing actions taken under the plan’s five‑year implementation framework and describing possible next steps after the state review.

Staff said the city adopted an updated moderate‑income housing plan in 2019 and reformatted it in 2022 to match a state requirement for a five‑year implementation plan and annual reporting. The plan sets a goal and six strategies (including rezonings to increase density, infrastructure investment, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), supporting housing near commercial and transit corridors, amending land‑use regulations, and preserving subsidized units). Herriman staff reported recent accomplishments aligned with those strategies: rezones in the southeast part of the city to allow smaller lots and multifamily; work on two new small‑lot residential zone drafts (R-15 and R-18); approvals to allow denser residential types in specific MDAs; ongoing active‑transportation projects such as Main Street upgrades and planned widening of 6000 West; and continued work on regulations for detached ADUs (to be governed by lot size rather than zone).

On preservation and workforce housing, staff described a housing task force initiated by the mayor to explore deed‑restricted units intended for educators, first responders and entry‑level city employees; the task force is pursuing strategies to preserve and create attainable workforce housing. Staff also reported permit and entitlement data: in the past report year the city issued several hundred single‑family permits and more than 150 multifamily permits (most multifamily units were within MDAs), and the city has thousands of entitled units in future MDAs and overlay options that could yield additional housing when the market and infrastructure are ready.

Staff noted the state reviews annual reports and may request additional detail; Herriman’s approach emphasizes tracking building permits, entitled units in MDAs and infrastructure status (will‑serve letters). Staff recommended maintaining the current set of strategies but flagged several state additions (home‑ownership promotion zones, first‑home investment eligibility and density bonuses) that the city could adopt if desired. Staff said they will transmit the report to the state and follow up if the state requests more detail.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about how vacant land was counted in entitled‑units totals, the timing of EPA reporting for contaminated sites (in a different agenda item), and whether program changes at the state level could require plan amendments. Staff confirmed annual reporting dates and said the city will continue monitoring and refining its implementation measures.