House passes SB 267 to tighten local land‑use processing and allow limited impact fees; members amend to cite International Building Code

The Utah House on the floor passed first substitute Senate Bill 267, a package of local government changes that aims to speed up land‑use reviews and tighten accountability for impact fees. Representative Snow, the bill sponsor, said the measure "requires counties and municipalities to process them on a timely basis, requires a staff report to given back to the applicant within 3 days in advance of a public hearing," so applicants have time to review staff recommendations.

The bill includes provisions addressing impact fees and a Senate amendment about fire‑suppression equipment. Representative Snow told colleagues the amendment would allow qualified municipalities to impose an impact fee for expensive fire‑suppression equipment and that "it has to be equipment costing over a million dollars," a threshold Snow cited when asked how a municipality would qualify. Representative Wiley offered and the House adopted a friendly amendment to replace the textual reference to the "Uniform Building Code" with the "International Building Code," which Wiley said reflects codes currently adopted by the state.

Several members asked clarifying questions about how impact fees would be assessed and accounted for; Snow said the bill requires accounting so fees are used for their intended purpose. Representative Wiley said he was "worried" about expanding impact fees and urged caution. After debate the House approved SB 267 as amended by a roll call (70 yes, 3 no). The bill will be referred to the Senate for further consideration.

What happens next: the House sent the amended bill back to the Senate. If the Senate concurs, implementing rules and local application—especially which municipalities choose to use the impact‑fee option for expensive equipment—will determine the law's practical effect.