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House concurs with Senate amendments to bill buying easements around Hill Air Force Base amid property-owner concerns
Summary
The House concurred in Senate amendments to HB 227 (creation of buffer zones/easements near Hill AFB) after extended debate on compensation, buyback rights and relocation funds; final passage recorded 58-13.
On March 1 the Utah House debated and concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 227, a measure that creates a buffer/easement program around military installations including Hill Air Force Base. The motion to concur passed and final passage was recorded as 58 affirmative and 13 negative votes.
Sponsor Representative Chard described a fifth substitute that addresses property owners’ concerns. Floor amendments clarify that the Department of Community and Economic Development “can't buy property, or they can't buy businesses, or they can't require people to move,” and establish a market-value appraisal standard for easement compensation: the compensation is the difference between a property's market value with improvements and its value after the easement is placed, determined by an appraisal process.
The bill also includes a buyback provision: if Hill Air Force Base is not used as a runway or military installation, property owners may purchase back easements at the same dollar value paid by the state. Additional amendments offer the option for relocation funds for businesses and schools located inside accident-potential zones who can substantiate hardship under expansion restrictions.
Several members urged caution and asked for more time for affected property owners to develop compromise proposals. Representative Hunter and others noted urgency tied to federal base-closure timelines and possible delays in closure funding; they argued the House needed to balance timeliness with property owners’ opportunity to respond. Representative Brush and others emphasized the need to move forward to preserve a chance to attract private enterprise if the base were to be repurposed.
The House voted to concur and returned the bill to the Senate for signature; the recorded final tally was 58-13.
What’s next: The bill provides state authority to acquire easements with an appraisal-based compensation standard and establishes buyback and relocation options. Implementation details and individual compensation will be determined through the appraisal and negotiation processes described in the statute.
