Council hears detailed general-plan, water and sewer master-plan updates and discusses expressway alignment

Planning staff and consultants briefed the Fairfield Town Council on May 21 about revisions to the draft general plan and on updated water and sewer master plans, emphasizing incremental, developer-driven infrastructure and proposed road connections to accommodate future traffic.

Sean Hill, who presented the general-plan update, told the council the planning process began with an inventory of existing conditions and public outreach and that the draft was released in April. "Our hope is that we will meet the planning commission's satisfaction at their June meeting and receive a recommendation from them. And then we would come before the council in July," Hill said. He explained that references to a possible town-negotiated public access easement to the Big Spring had been removed after the landowner rescinded interest and that photos and other edits were being added to the plan.

Consultants also described adjustments to proposed road connections after learning Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is securing right-of-way for a north–south Cedar Valley freeway. Staff said that, rather than a northern bypass connection, the plan now favors a southern connection that would route truck traffic toward Allen's Ranch Road and industrial areas, keeping heavy vehicles out of the town core. Council discussion emphasized avoiding routing expressway traffic through residential main streets and preserving the town's small-town character while preparing for future traffic demands.

Rochelle, of Bowen Collins and Associates, presented water master-plan updates and described changes to recommended capital projects after reviewing projected demands, including Firefly development water-use estimates. She said the revised recommendation removes some pipe upsizing by placing storage on the north side of town and adds an emergency booster station along Highway 73 to meet fire-flow standards on the north system.

On the sewer master plan, consultants reported they evaluated three collection alternatives and recommended an eastward alignment to connect to Eagle Mountain's system. After comparing the capital and operations costs of building a local treatment facility versus contracting with Eagle Mountain, the consultant recommended pursuing an agreement with Eagle Mountain. The consultant said Eagle Mountain indicated willingness to discuss such an agreement and that system build-out would be developer-driven; no immediate construction is required absent development pressure.

Council members repeatedly framed the master plans as tools to prepare for, not to force, growth. One council member summarized: "Planning is not endorsing or entertaining growth, but preparing for its inevitability and being prepared." Staff and consultants said final planning steps include returning to the planning commission in June and, if recommended, allowing the required waiting period before council consideration in July.

The council took the master-plan adoptions as ordinances (see "Votes at a glance") and directed staff to continue coordination with UDOT, developers and neighboring jurisdictions as the plans are refined.