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Commissioners discuss reviewing surplus county land for sale to expand housing and tax base
Summary
Commissioner Tyler Jeffs urged the County Commission to examine surplus county parcels (including a Green River sliver and Castledale lots) for potential sale or redevelopment to put properties back on the tax rolls and support local housing options; commissioners noted final disposition rests with the county commission.
A Planning Commission discussion in August raised the possibility of reviewing surplus county land for sale or conditional transfer to spur development and return properties to the tax rolls.
Commissioner Tyler Jeffs said Emery County holds parcels that are unused and could be sold or otherwise repurposed: "If we have surplus properties that I don't think they need to be hanging on to ... if they were to sell those surplus properties, somebody else is gonna be happy to buy them and turn them into a taxable entity," he said. Commissioners and staff identified specific parcels — a small county sliver in Green River, county‑owned lots in Castledale, and three quarters of a block near the Huntington senior center — as possible candidates for sale or conditional development. Staff noted some transfers have already occurred in the past (for example, Huntington City acquiring land for a new senior center) and cautioned that ultimate authority for sales lies with the county commissioners.
Participants discussed safeguards to protect public interest, including development stipulations (for example, requiring development within a defined timeframe if sold to a private party) and reserving options for senior housing or other public‑benefit projects. Planning staff recommended compiling a list of surplus parcels and potential stipulations for commissioners to consider at a future county‑level hearing.
