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UC3 warns county that SB 337 would curtail local planning authority, offers constitution-focused training
Summary
Sarah Davenport Smith of UC3 told Emery County commissioners that Senate Bill 337 would have shifted planning and zoning authority away from local governments and described a June 2025 executive order she called a "soft mandate" of the bill; UC3 offered membership, training and constitutional analysis to counties.
Sarah Davenport Smith, founder and managing director of UC3 (the Utah Coalition of Cities and Counties), told the Emery County Commission on June 3 that the group will offer constitution-focused training, policy analysis and representation to counties and cities statewide.
Smith said one legislative effort she and UC3 tracked this year, Senate Bill 337, "would have given our state way too much leeway" in planning and zoning decisions and that a recently signed executive order is a "soft mandate" that could replicate some of the bill’s effects. She described UC3 as an alternative that advises officials through the lens of state and federal constitutional principles.
Why it matters: Commissioners said they are concerned about maintaining local control over planning and zoning, especially where statewide incentives or directives could affect large energy or infrastructure projects. Smith said UC3’s services include lobbying, constitutional analysis, training webinars and advising on planning and regulatory matters. She also said UC3’s membership fees are calculated by a formula tied to a jurisdiction’s general fund and that training events could be opened to the public.
During Q&A, commissioners asked for detail on membership costs and whether UC3 would supplant other associations; Smith said UC3 does not intend to replace existing associations but to provide a constitutionally focused option. She noted planned webinars in August (housing/planning/zoning topics) and October (members-only legislative planning).
Smith urged commissioners to consider the implications of state-level proposals and executive actions before they are implemented. "This bill would have given our state way too much leeway," she said, and warned that funding incentives tied to an executive order could steer local outcomes. The commission did not take action on UC3 membership at the meeting; staff and commissioners requested the presenter’s materials for further review.
