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Centerville commission recommends adding state‑approved water use and preservation element before Dec. 31
Summary
Facing a state deadline, the planning commission unanimously recommended that the City Council adopt a water use and preservation element—language the state DNR reviewed—so the city remains compliant with Utah code; commissioners forwarded a positive recommendation to council.
The Centerville Planning Commission voted Nov. 12 to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council to adopt a water use and preservation element for the general plan, language planning staff said was reviewed and signed off by the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
Planning staff summarized the statutory requirement and timeline: the amendment must address four core areas, including a water demand assessment, methods to reduce future water demand in new development (such as low‑water landscaping), opportunities to improve municipal operational efficiency and other conservation measures. "The deadline to get that into our city general plan would be by or before December 31," planning staff (speaker 3) told the commission.
Why it matters: Utah code added new requirements that require cities to incorporate a water element into local general plans. Failure to come into compliance could put municipalities on a noncompliance list and, staff warned, could invite farther‑reaching legislative responses or consequences for funding in the future.
Details and discussion: Staff said the proposed language reflects state guidance (cited in the meeting as 10‑90‑404 and related subsections) and that the city's assistant public works director had reviewed the text. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about rainwater collection thresholds (the state reference to a 2,500‑gallon limit came up in discussion) and whether enforcement or technical details would be required locally. No members of the public spoke on this item during the meeting.
The vote: Chair (speaker 8) moved to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council for the proposed water use and preservation element; the commission approved the motion by voice vote. The transcript records the motion and Aye votes but does not include a roll‑call tally.
Next steps: The item will be transmitted to the City Council for consideration before the statutory deadline. Planning staff advised commissioners that the water element primarily links an existing city water plan into the general plan and that subsequent zoning or ordinance updates (for example, landscape code) may be needed to implement some recommendations.
