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Toquerville council approves budget, ordinances and support for solar project; tables MPDO site plan
Summary
At the meeting the council approved the fiscal‑year 2025–26 budget, adopted a compensation ordinance, approved multiple technical standards and passed a nonbinding resolution supporting a utility‑scale solar proposal after edits; the council tabled a Firelight MPDO site plan and set a contractor water‑use rate for a public works project.
The Toquerville City Council approved several budget, ordinance and policy items and acted on multiple resolutions at its recent meeting.
Key approved items included the fiscal‑year 2025–26 final budget, a municipal compensation schedule ordinance, technical updates to roadway cross‑section standards, a burning regulation ordinance that incorporates Washington County rules by reference with local clarifications, and a commemorative resolution for the U.S. semiquincentennial. The council also approved a nonbinding resolution expressing support for the Browse Solar Project after stripping references to unspecified royalty payments and certain staff study directives.
The council took other actions with limited debate. It tabled a master‑planned development (MPDO) site plan for Firelight planning area 6 to allow staff and the applicant to provide additional trail, open‑space and ERU accounting and other clarifications; the item was continued to a future meeting. The council also set a contractor water rate for the Washington County Conservancy District contractor project (Cottam/virgin waterline) at $3.00 per 1,000 gallons for that project after discussion of hydrant‑meter billing and site work.
Budget and compensation
Council adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 final budget and heard staff summaries of several changes included in the final document: an accounting roll‑over for the parkway project, updates to insurance valuations, a multi‑year licensing renewal for security cameras, and a correction to stormwater utility fee projections. City staff said the budget assumes continued build‑out and rising service demands from entitlements in the city and that staff levels reflect anticipated growth.
The council passed an ordinance adopting a compensation schedule required by state law; it sets a 2.5% cost‑of‑living adjustment effective July 1 and a merit increase ceiling of 4% effective January 1, both applied under the scale and administrative procedures described in the ordinance exhibit.
Solar project
Councilors also considered a developer request for a nonbinding statement of support for a proposed utility‑scale solar project. City legal and planning staff and the developer discussed wording. Councilors removed specific recital language about royalties and a staff direction clause before approving the resolution; the amended resolution passed.
Other technical actions
The council adopted updates to standard road cross sections and clarified meter‑box placement in the public‑utility easement to ensure consistent field locations and proper maintenance access by water staff. The council also adopted by ordinance local burning regulations that incorporate Washington County language but add clarifying language limiting allowed open‑vegetation burns and requiring permits for other materials.
Votes at a glance (selected items)
- Motion to deny general‑plan amendment (G‑1): motion defeated 3–2 (see separate article). - Resolution supporting Browse Solar Project (G‑2): amended (royalty language removed; staffing directive removed) and approved. - MPDO site plan for Firelight planning area 6 (G‑3): tabled for additional materials and refinement. - Fiscal‑year 2025–26 final budget (G‑4): adopted. - Ordinance adopting municipal compensation schedule (G‑5): adopted. - Ordinance establishing burn regulations (G‑6): adopted with clarifying redlines. - Resolution updating roadway cross sections and meter‑box location standards (G‑7): adopted. - Contractor hydrant‑meter water billing for Cottam/Virgin pipeline project (G‑8): set at $3.00 per 1,000 gallons for this project; motion carried. - Resolution commemorating the United States semiquincentennial (G‑9): adopted.
What’s next
Staff confirmed that several items require follow up: Firelight must provide a rolling ERU/trail/open‑space accounting and engineering details before the MPDO site plan will return to council; council also directed staff to provide the budget roll‑over and camera licensing details in upcoming amendments. The solar developer will use the council’s amended resolution as a nonbinding statement of local interest in further discussions with regional power buyers.
This summary is based on the city council meeting transcript and official agenda items recorded in the public meeting.
