House passes annexation amendments establishing city annexation plans, Salt Lake County moratorium

House members on Feb. 22 approved House Bill 155, a package of changes to the state's annexation rules that sponsors and supporters said will restore clarity to how cities grow and how counties and municipalities resolve boundary disputes.

Representative Derry, the bill sponsor, told the House the measure requires each city to adopt an annexation policy plan that outlines future boundaries and criteria for annexation and replaces feasibility studies with a recorder‑filed map prepared by a licensed surveyor. The bill also excludes federal land from annexation provisions and tightens forced annexation thresholds, reducing the triggering percentage from 10% to 5% and setting an annual cap of 10% of a municipality’s population. "We have given Salt Lake County an annex moratorium from 04/30/2001 through 07/01/2002," Derry said, while noting friendly annexations may continue when there is mutual agreement between county, city and property owners.

Representative Harper successfully moved an amendment replacing references to "80%" with "two‑thirds" in specified voting provisions to better align with existing statute. Members asked several procedural questions on whether the bill affects school‑district boundaries or bonded indebtedness; sponsors and staff repeatedly said the bill does not change school debt law and that affected school districts and special service districts will be notified when annexation requests may impact them.

Supporters, including Representative Becker, said the bill reflects months of negotiation among the Utah League of Cities and Towns, the Utah Association of Counties and Salt Lake County officials. "What we have before us reflects an enormous amount of compromise," Becker said. The House voted to pass the bill as amended, 60‑5, and transmitted it to the Senate for further consideration.