House committee advances bill to fast‑track DOT driveway permits for 20+‑unit housing projects

The House Public Works and Highways Committee voted 14‑2, with two members not voting, to recommend passage of Senate Bill 153‑FN, a proposal to create an expedited Department of Transportation permitting lane for residential projects of 20 units or more that would be funded by a $120 per‑unit fee.

The bill, sponsored in the hearing by Sen. Mark McConkie, is intended to shorten long delays developers said are preventing approved housing from moving forward. McConkie told the committee that permitting for some larger developments has taken “a year and a half to 2 years” and described the measure as a second lane for receiving permitting rather than a mandatory deadline.

Supporters said the expedited lane would be paid for by developers and would let DOT contract vetted third‑party consultants to perform traffic‑study and plan reviews, with DOT maintaining final approval. “SB 153 implements an…