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Commissioners recommend land‑use code updates: land farming, shooting ranges, subdivision language
Summary
Tooele County planning commissioners voted unanimous favorable recommendations to amend land‑use code items that would add definitions for land farming, add firearms training and shooting ranges as conditional uses in specific zones with state‑required deed notification, and update subdivision language per state requirements.
Tooele County planning commissioners unanimously recommended several text amendments to the county land‑use ordinance, approving additions and clarifications on land farming, outdoor/indoor shooting ranges, and subdivision procedures to bring county code into alignment with state rules.
The planning commission recommended the county council adopt TC LUO 2025‑079 to add definitions for “land farming” and “land farming modified” into chapters 2 and 27 (mining, quarry, sand and gravel excavations) and to add those uses to the applicable use tables. Planning staff told commissioners that the amendment responds to requests and clarifies that land farming involves treating imported soils so they are not contaminated and may later be sold or reused; the amendment also states such operations must be at least 1,300 feet from residential or commercial zoning boundaries.
In a separate text amendment, staff presented DCLUO 2025‑082, which would add firearm training facilities and indoor/outdoor shooting ranges as conditional uses in MU‑40, MU‑80, MU‑160 and MG zones. Trish DeCloe explained that state code requires deed notification to properties within 1,000 feet of a shooting range boundary; the planning commission recommended the change and noted that each proposed range would return as a conditional use permit so site‑specific operational conditions can be applied.
Commissioners also recommended TCLUO 2025‑092 to update subdivision chapter 35 to reflect state requirements. The changes rename “planning commission” references to the broader “land‑use authority” to reflect possible future procedural shifts, move certain final‑plat requirements to final review (for example health‑department feasibility studies) because the state will not provide those items at preliminary review, and clarify boundary‑adjustment procedures.
Staff and commissioners discussed several technical edits during the hearing, such as paragraph numbering and where specific items should be required (preliminary versus final plat). Commissioner Mitchell pressed staff on why evidence of water rights moved from preliminary to final; staff said the state and the health department will not provide water‑rights feasibility letters until after preliminary approval, so the requirement was moved to final plat.
Votes: Each amendment received a favorable recommendation to the county council on unanimous roll calls (TC LUO2025‑079: motion by Commissioner Scott, second Commissioner Dow; DCLUO2025‑082: motion to recommend; TCLUO2025‑092: motion to recommend; all passed unanimously).
Why it matters: The amendments add uses and definitions that make county code explicitly address emerging site practices (land farming) and previously unspecified uses (shooting ranges). By making shooting ranges conditional uses, the county keeps site‑specific public‑safety and notification controls in the permitting process. Moving technical requirements to final aligns the ordinance with current state processing.
What’s next: The planning commission’s favorable recommendations will be forwarded to the Tooele County Council for consideration and possible adoption.
