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Council adopts ordinance setting deadlines for land-use applications, 5–0
Summary
The Highland City Council unanimously approved a code amendment establishing deadlines for incomplete applications, timelines for resubmission, and conditions for extensions to prevent applications from languishing.
The Highland City Council adopted an amendment to the city development code on Tuesday that sets clear deadlines for pending land-use applications, including site plans, rezones and text amendments.
City staff told the council the change responds to several applications that remained in limbo for months or years. The new code specifies that incomplete applications must be completed or will be closed after 14 days’ notice; complete applications must advance within 180 days or be considered lapsed unless an extension is requested and granted; and approvals will lapse if applicants do not “reasonably implement” an approval within a year. The council changed a planning-commission recommendation from a mandatory “shall not” approach to a discretionary “may not” so staff retains flexibility in atypical cases.
Rob (staff member) said the ordinance aligns Highland’s rules with state law that permits reasonable local deadlines and helps prevent outdated entitlements from continuing indefinitely. Planning Commission had unanimously recommended the amendment. Councilmember Ron moved the ordinance; Kim seconded. The council adopted it in a 5–0 roll-call vote.
Staff said they will notify applicants with outstanding files that the new time frames will apply and will begin sending the notices required by the revised code.
