Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Agriculture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate advances bill easing subdivision rules for farmers
Summary
Senate Bill 16, intended to let farmers combine adjacent agricultural parcels without city subdivision review where zoning allows, passed the Senate third-reading calendar by voice/roll-call and will proceed to the House; sponsors said the change preserves agricultural use while cities retain zoning authority.
The Utah Senate debated and advanced Senate Bill 16 on Jan. 26, 1998, a bill intended to ease subdivision rules for agricultural parcels within city limits so farmers can merge adjoining acreage for farming without going through the full city subdivision process when zoning permits. Senators said the bill was drafted to preserve agricultural land and to avoid unnecessary subdivision burdens.
Sponsor Senator Taylor said the bill allows a farmer to join adjoining 20-acre parcels into a larger agricultural holding without triggering the subdivision process — provided the change does not violate city zoning ordinances. He told colleagues the bill had the backing of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, the Farm Bureau and conservation districts and that committee amendments clarified that cities retain zoning authority where applicable (Sen. Taylor).
Colleagues asked for clarification about county versus city zoning; the sponsor said counties already had some authority and the bill was intended to work within existing zoning frameworks. After the floor amendment and discussion, the Senate recorded the vote in favor and advanced the bill to the third-reading calendar with a reported 25 aye votes and four absent.
Next steps: SB 16 will proceed to third reading and, if passed on final reading, be transmitted to the House.
