Grantsville introduces Bill Gray as community development director; he outlines general‑plan, code and transportation priorities

The Grantsville City Council on Sept. 3 introduced Bill Gray as the city’s new community development director and heard his priorities for planning, code updates and transportation improvements.

Gray, who said he has been in Grantsville about a week, told the council he intends to pursue a comprehensive update of the city’s general plan, begin a review of existing land‑use ordinances and improve communications with residents and developers. “I believe very firmly in the idea that brevity is the soul of wit,” Gray said as he described his approach to meetings and public engagement.

Gray told the council a comprehensive general‑plan update would likely cost about $100,000 and that he plans to pursue grant funding, noting he had already seen a previous update completed in 2018 with partial support from WFRC. “A general plan update to the one that I would want to do…would be, right around a $100,000,” he said. He said a refreshed plan would guide code changes and development decisions as Grantsville faces growth pressures and potential annexations.

Gray said code revisions are also an early focus. He called predictability for developers a key objective: consistent, clear rules, he said, lead to better outcomes. “Developers crave more than anything else. They crave predictability,” Gray said. He said aligning the code with the values and goals in the general plan will be central to that effort.

On transportation, Gray said he and city leaders already planned to meet with planners from the Utah Department of Transportation to discuss turning movements and other safety issues on Main Street. He described left‑turning traffic on Main Street as a current problem and said the city will raise those concerns with UDOT.

Council members asked about the division of responsibilities between planning and public works for parks and other projects. Gray said planning would handle siting and design decisions—“where are we actually going to put Costco if it does come…or the Walmart or wherever it is”—while implementation, road building and park maintenance would remain with public works and developers.

Gray gave a brief autobiographical account explaining his path to planning, including a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s in planning. He said he previously worked in Tremonton and emphasized his interest in working directly with residents on land‑use questions.

At the end of the meeting a motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the council voice vote was recorded as “Aye” and the motion carried.

Next steps Gray identified include seeking grant funding for a general‑plan update, starting a code review, improving public communications, and meeting with UDOT to address traffic on Main Street.