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Local contractor says Rio Tinto halted lease talks after liaison told company 'the town does not want us to expand' — council calls it a miscommunication
Summary
Rock and Yard told the Copperton council a Rio Tinto liaison halted a proposed one‑acre lease after being told the town opposed the expansion. Council members and legal counsel said the parcel is unincorporated county land, the town took no official position and staff will meet regularly with Rio Tinto to avoid future misunderstandings.
A Copperton contractor told the town council that talks to lease a one‑acre portion of a Rio Tinto parcel east of town were stopped after the company was told, according to the contractor, that “the town does not want us to expand.”
Matt Dormosch, identifying himself as a representative of Rock and Yard, said he began outreach in December and submitted requests through the proper channels. He said Rio Tinto later told him its liaison had been told by a Copperton representative that the town opposed the lease and “it was dead in the water.” Dormosch said canvassing neighbors showed support for the expansion and left him surprised by the reported blanket rejection.
Mayor (name not stated) told Dormosch the council had not taken an official position on the unincorporated parcel and emphasized the town’s lack of direct land‑use jurisdiction there. “This council has no jurisdiction over that piece of property, period,” the mayor said, noting the land lies in unincorporated Salt Lake County. Town legal counsel Nathan added that the incident appears to be a miscommunication and described how annexation or a pre‑annexation agreement could be used if Rio Tinto and the lessee want the parcel to become part of Copperton.
Council members described Copperton’s annexation policy plan and general plan as guidance for seeking commercial growth, and they suggested annexation as one path that would allow the town to capture revenues from businesses. The mayor said staff will hold monthly coordination meetings with Rio Tinto and include council members and other stakeholders as needed to prevent similar misunderstandings in the future.
No formal action was taken at the meeting because the parcel is outside the town’s jurisdiction. Dormosch said he would return to Rio Tinto with evidence of local support; Rio Tinto told him it would reopen negotiations if the company saw clear community backing.
What happens next: council staff will schedule recurring meetings with Rio Tinto to improve communications; Dormosch plans to follow up with his Rio Tinto contact and return to the town council if necessary.
