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Senate debate stalls on plan to develop Utah State Developmental Center land after objections to sale language
Summary
Lawmakers debated whether 143 acres north of the Utah State Developmental Center should be leased or sold. Sponsor argued a development process would create ongoing revenue for services; opponents pressed to limit the measure to long‑term leases, citing past sales that did not benefit the center. The floor circled the measure for later review after a procedural ruling on an attempted verbal amendment.
Senators spent an extended floor session debating a joint resolution that would authorize the governing board of the Utah State Developmental Center (USDC) to seek proposals to develop roughly 143 acres immediately north of the campus.
Sponsor Senator Hemmert said the USDC governing board asked the Legislature to allow a process to develop or lease the parcel so it could generate long‑term revenue for the center and the Division of Services for People with Disabilities. He noted the original training‑school allotment totaled about 750 acres and that roughly 450 acres remain under state control, and described the resolution as permission for an RFP process rather than an endorsement of a specific developer.
Senator Margaret Dayton moved to remove all instances of the word "sale" from the resolution and to retain only long‑term lease authority. Dayton said past land sales — including parcels used for golf courses and a high school — produced proceeds that did not flow back to the developmental center and argued a lease would preserve a continuing funding stream for residents and staff pay. She cited the governing board’s January vote that had accepted sale or lease options but urged the floor to protect ongoing support for center operations.
Supporters of allowing sale as an option, including Senator Hemmert and others, argued the governing board should retain flexibility to pursue the highest long‑term economic return, which could include a sale if that proved in the center’s financial interest. Senator Hemmert said the amendment added language directing some proceeds to the division that serves people with disabilities.
Floor debate examined the parcel’s development history and uses, the governing board’s role, interactions with nearby municipalities (American Fork City and Highland City), and whether road construction across the acreage required land sale. Fiscal estimates were discussed: one senator referred to a fiscal analyst estimate of about $27,000,000 in gross value (about $200,000 per acre), though no binding appraisal or purchaser had been identified.
A verbal motion by Senator Dayton to strike every instance of the word "sale" was challenged on procedural grounds under the Senate rule that verbal amendments must contain 10 words or fewer or be filed in writing. The presiding officer ruled the proposed oral amendment exceeded that limit and that it did not clearly specify every location where the word would be removed; the body voted to "circle" the bill (postpone floor action) to permit a clearer amendment and comply with rules.
Because the amendment attempt was ruled out of order and the bill was circled, the body did not adopt a final substantive decision on sale versus lease during the session. Senators signaled continuing interest from local officials and the development board; the resolution was listed in the Rules Committee report as "Joint resolution granting legislative approval for the sale of Utah State developmental center land" and will return for further consideration.
Next steps: the measure was circled for later floor action so the amendment can be clarified or printed, and sponsors indicated they would return with a conforming amendment or written language for the body to consider.
