Mission Council denies developers request to record Lehi Misiones plat, cites documentation and liability concerns

Mission City Council on March 2025 unanimously denied a developer's request to allow recording of the Lehi Misiones subdivision plat and to accept a bank'issued letter of credit in place of fully completed infrastructure.

Council members said they were not comfortable approving the recording or accepting the bank'email in lieu of the actual letter of credit and associated documents. Staff and the developer told council the bank had emailed approval in principle and that construction of infrastructure had begun; the developer requested the city accept the instrument so the plat could be recorded while the remaining work was finished. City engineering staff said the submitted estimate and proposed letter of credit — about $215,000 — would be sufficient to complete phase 1 but the full documentation was not in hand.

The denial followed questioning from council members about the city's exposure if a developer failed to complete improvements and about the precedent of recording plats before infrastructure is finished. One council member said approving the request could create a liability for the city; another said they would prefer to see the actual letter of credit and legal review before any approval. Staff explained some jurisdictions allow sureties or letters of credit to secure unfinished work, but stressed the city must have the actual instrument and legal review on file.

City staff described the narrow procedural posture of the item: the council was considering only the letter of credit request at that meeting. A related agenda item to approve the plat also failed following the motion to deny the letter-of-credit action.

Council members suggested the developer return with the complete, executed letter of credit and supporting documentation, and recommended the developer increase the percentage of work completed before resubmitting. The council's vote to deny the letter-of-credit request and the plat was 5-0.

The developer was given the council's guidance to continue work on the subdivision and to return when more documentation and higher completion percentages were available.

Votes and formal actions reported in the meeting record indicate the council voted to deny both the request to accept the letter of credit and the accompanying plat recording; staff recommended the developer continue work and provide full documentation before reapplication.