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Emery County residents urge enforcement of habitation ordinances as commissioners weigh options
Summary
Residents and a Planning and Zoning member urged Emery County to enforce habitation ordinances for RVs and long-term encampments, while commissioners cautioned about housing shortages and noted the county lacks a dedicated code-enforcement officer.
Tyler Jeffs, a member of the Emery County Planning and Zoning Commission speaking for himself, told commissioners on Oct. 21 that he is “quite discouraged about the lack of enforcement on ordinances in the county” and urged the county to adopt and enforce a clear plan for habitational ordinance compliance. Jeffs said he has been reporting encampments for months and asked the commission to “enforce the plan and not have [the county] be a free for all.”
Commissioners debated where to draw the line between enforcement and the county’s housing shortage. One commissioner said it "doesn't seem like we should be going after people who are living in RVs if they're clean," while other commissioners emphasized health and utilities, saying habitational enforcement should focus on sites lacking sewer, water or power.
Residents described local impacts. A Green River resident said transient traffic can be substantial, noting as many as five buses per day in some periods and up to 14 in spring, and that transient visitors often congregate at the library and parks. Juan Barman, a local commenter, asked for realistic compliance timelines, urging the commission to give property owners "practical time frame[s]" — sometimes six months to a year — to come into compliance.
County staff and commissioners said planning and zoning can issue notices of noncompliance but the county currently does not employ a dedicated code-enforcement officer; staff suggested options such as contracting enforcement work to private firms (Sunrise Engineering was mentioned as willing to help) or coordinating with deputies for enforcement steps beyond warning letters.
Kathy Ryan urged hiring a county-level code-enforcement officer to assist smaller communities and manage issues outside city limits. Commissioners noted some cities already employ code staff but acknowledged county jurisdiction is required for properties outside municipal boundaries.
The commission did not adopt a new enforcement ordinance during the meeting; they asked staff to consider pathways, including contractor support, and to return with a plan for how habitational ordinances would be enforced, consistent with concerns about fairness, public health and available resources.
