Lewiston — June 4, 2025 — Residents at Wednesday’s Lewiston Planning and Zoning Commission meeting asked the commission to pause all rezones and subdivision approvals, alleging the city violated the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act and the Utah Public Officers and Employees Ethics Act in a March 2022 lot-line adjustment and related subdivision, a public commenter said.

"I call on this commission to immediately halt all rezones and subdivision approvals until these conflicts of interest can be disclosed and these actions can be remedied," said Roy Hall, a resident, during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Hall alleged a lot-line adjustment approved March 1, 2022, was not noticed on the agenda, that the property was owned through an undisclosed private entity of the mayor, and that subsequent subdivision and a current rezone application involve people who have had business relationships with the mayor.

The allegations center on whether the city followed Utah Code and local disclosure rules. Hall cited the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act and the Utah Public Officers and Employees Ethics Act, referencing "Utah code 52-4-202," and said city officials attended state training that instructs bodies to "only act on items on the agenda." Hall framed his remarks as a request for a temporary halt to rezones and subdivisions until disclosures are made and any improper actions are remedied.

The commission did not vote on any rezoning or subdivision actions at the meeting. The chairperson said the commission has referred materials to the Utah Board of Ethics and to the city attorney and reported that "there has been nothing that has come back that has said that we are in violation of anything." The chairperson also told a resident that the current rezone application from developer Jeremy Wright is limited to a rezoning request and that the applicant has not submitted a development plan to the city.

Trisha Choney, a resident, said she could not find a record in the city minutes of any presentation by the developer and urged transparency about what is planned. The chairperson responded that "all he is doing is has given the application to rezone," and suggested residents contact the applicant directly for details.

Another resident, Misty Warren, asked whether adjacent landowners had received notice of a public hearing on the rezone. The chairperson confirmed that adjacent landholders must receive physical letters and that notices must be sent at least 10 days before a public hearing. The commission said it had not completed contacting all adjacent landowners and that, if the required notices are not posted at least 10 days before July 2, the commission will not hold the rezone public hearing that month.

Commission business at the meeting otherwise included approval of the minutes from the previous month and a brief review of building permits issued in May. The chairperson reported four permits in May: an electrical permit, a residential reroof, a commercial permit for Oakdale, and a single-family home on 2400 West. The commission approved the minutes and later adjourned.

Commission members also discussed updating the general/master plan and said they are working with a consultant (referred to in the meeting as Bragg and Russ/Ross Price). The chairperson said staff is waiting to hear back from the consultant to begin the formal update process.

No formal rezoning or subdivision approvals occurred at the June 4 meeting. The commission noted next steps for any rezoning application include sending physical notice to adjacent landowners at least 10 days before a public hearing and receiving any required application materials from the applicant.

Votes at a glance: the commission approved last month’s minutes (motion made and "Aye" recorded) and later voted to adjourn (motion made and "Aye" recorded); the transcript does not record a named second or a roll-call tally for either vote.

The commission’s next regular meeting is scheduled for July 2, 2025, but the chairperson said whether the rezone public hearing will appear on that agenda depends on completion of adjacent-owner notice and delivery of applicant materials.