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Tooele County Council adopts amendment to general plan to allow ‘medium intensity housing’ for a parcel
Summary
The Tooele County Council adopted Ordinance 2025-04 to amend the county general plan to designate a specific parcel as "medium intensity housing," aligning the plan with existing RR-5 zoning and enabling future rezoning steps at the Planning Commission level.
The Tooele County Council adopted an amendment to the county general plan on April 1, 2025, moving a parcel’s future-land-use designation to “medium intensity housing.” The motion passed during the council’s regular meeting; council members voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-04 as presented.
Nathan Harris, assistant county attorney, told the council the County Planning Commission considered the same amendment on March 5, and its first motion resulted in "a 3–3 tie" and therefore failed under the Robert’s Rules used by the commission. Harris said the commission later made "a 4–2 favorable recommendation" to the council after additional debate and a duly noticed public hearing.
The amendment changes the general-plan designation for the parcel from agricultural to medium intensity housing. Harris described the practical effect: the change would allow the county and property owners to pursue rezoning or subdivision actions that could permit smaller-lot residential development than the parcel’s current RR-5 zoning (RR-5 requires roughly 5-acre minimum lots). Harris emphasized that the rezone itself was not before the council and would be considered separately by the Planning Commission if pursued.
Council members asked clarifying questions about the relationship between the general plan and zoning. Councilman Thomas asked whether the parcel is currently zoned RR-5; Harris confirmed it is. Harris explained that the general plan amendment "doesn’t have those requirements" for minimum lot sizes under the medium-intensity designation and that any change to density would be part of a later rezoning process.
By adopting Ordinance 2025-04, the council updated the county’s stated preferred land use for the parcel; no immediate reconfiguration of lots or construction approvals were enacted by this vote. Any rezoning or subdivision requests would require separate applications and review by the Planning Commission and, if appealed or forwarded, subsequent council action.
The council’s action completes the legislative step to change the general plan designation; interested parties will watch for any rezoning application at the Planning Commission that could follow the amendment.
