Council adopts master agreement template with UDOT to permit private landscaping in state right‑of‑way

The Springdale Town Council voted Feb. 12 to authorize a master landscape maintenance agreement with the Utah Department of Transportation and to adopt standard form templates for an addendum and for agreements with private property owners.

Town staff explained the paperwork formalizes long‑standing, largely voluntary practice in which private property owners maintain the narrow strip of land between the town curb/sidewalk and the UDOT right‑of‑way adjacent to their properties. The master agreement lets the town accept responsibility from UDOT to maintain such areas and then assign maintenance responsibility to the private property owner via a separate town–owner agreement.

Tom Dancy said UDOT requested a single master agreement to streamline approvals instead of separate site‑by‑site agreements. The council approved the master agreement and also adopted the standard form of the addendum and the town–owner agreement; staff noted the latter will be used on a case‑by‑case basis when owners seek to landscape the right‑of‑way. The agreements are voluntary, do not create a town charge for processing, and are binding on successors and assigns so the responsibility runs with the property.

Council members asked how maintenance would be enforced; staff said code enforcement would address failures to maintain landscape, and that, if a property owner fails to maintain the parcel, the town may remove landscaping under the agreement terms. Council also asked whether proposed plantings or plans would be reviewed; staff said site‑specific plans and renderings are reviewed before work is approved.

The motion passed unanimously; council authorized the mayor to sign the master agreement and approved the forms of the addendum and the private property owner agreement for future site‑specific use.