West Jordan council accepts Ochre Highlands annexation petition, sets schedule for hearings

The West Jordan City Council unanimously voted to accept a petition to annex the Ochre Highlands area into the city during its Jan. 14 meeting, advancing the proposal to the next steps of public review and state sign-off.

The petition was presented by Tangie Sloan, the city recorder, who told the council that sponsors had filed the formal petition with the city and the Salt Lake County clerk on Jan. 2, 2025. "By Dec. 5, 2024, enough signatures appeared to meet the legal requirements based on preliminary verifications," Sloan said, and staff completed a preliminary verification on Dec. 26, 2024. Council member Green moved to accept the petition and Vice Chair Whitelock seconded; the council voted 7-0 to accept it.

Why it matters: Acceptance starts a timeline of statutory notices and public hearings. The city will mail notices to owners and residents in the area and will hold a planning commission public hearing on Feb. 4 to review proposed zoning. If the council gives final approval at a later hearing and no significant protest is filed, the lieutenant governor's office could certify the annexation before April 30, making the area part of West Jordan for budget and tax planning effective July 1.

The petition sponsor, Nicole Coombs, addressed the council and described the 20-year effort by residents to pursue annexation. "We are the first group to exercise House Bill 330 in getting annexes to a city," Coombs said, urging the council to let the process continue. Several residents in the room also spoke in support; one resident, Connie Marston, asked specific questions about how local park maintenance, street mowing and city fees would be handled after annexation. Sloan said the city would respond to those specific operational questions through staff and follow-up mailings.

City staff and the city attorney noted logistics to be resolved if the annexation moves forward, including which local special districts will continue utilities and garbage service and how police, fire and parks services would be integrated. Assistant City Attorney Duncan Murray summarized that many service arrangements — for example, water by Kearns Improvement District and existing solid-waste arrangements — could remain in place but that some services would transfer to the city. Sloan directed residents to a Q&A posted on the recorder's webpage for additional detail.

Next steps: The planning commission is scheduled to review zoning on Feb. 4 and the council may consider final action on Feb. 25. Sloan and staff said additional notice mailings would go out this week to property owners and residents required by state law. If certified by the lieutenant governor before April 30, the annexed area would be treated as part of West Jordan for July 1, 2025 tax and service planning.