Mapleton adopts water use and conservation element to general plan

Mapleton City Council on Aug. 20 adopted an ordinance adding a water use and conservation element to the city's general plan, a change staff said aligns the city with recent state law requirements and consolidates the 2023 water conservation plan into the general plan.

Sean Conroy, the city planner, told the council that "recent changes to state law require the city to adopt a water conservation element of the general plan, and they outline specific requirements that need to be included in that." Conroy said most requirements were already addressed in Mapleton's existing water master plans and in the 2023 conservation plan, and the staff proposal is to amend that document rather than create a separate plan.

Council members asked about on-the-ground work identified in the document. A staff member said the city "worked with Logan to put together some plans for at least around some of our public works facilities" and that those plantings "will be done well before 2027," referring to the document's stated goal to have demonstration water-wise landscaping by Dec. 31, 2027. The ordinance also incorporates language aligning the city's land-use and landscaping standards with the conservation element, Conroy said.

There were no public comments during the public hearing on the item. Councilmember Jones moved to adopt the ordinance; Councilmember Egbert seconded. The motion passed with recorded votes from Councilmembers Jones, Egbert, Beck, Garrett and Carlson.

Conroy told the council the conservation element will be reviewed on the five-year cycle required by the statute and brought back for a full renewal and update in the coming years. The staff explanation said the amendment is primarily intended to ensure Mapleton's general plan meets the specific content requirements established by the recent change in state law.