Emery County planning commission posts final general plan and sets Jan. 20 public hearing

The Emery County Planning and Zoning Commission said a final draft of the county general plan has been posted to the county website and set a public hearing for Jan. 20 at 3 p.m., giving commissioners and members of the public a final opportunity to review and comment before formal approval.

The draft has been placed on the front page of the county website so it is easier to find, an unnamed commissioner said during the Jan. 14 meeting. Commissioners agreed the Jan. 20 meeting will include a public hearing on the plan and is the appropriate forum for residents to voice proposed changes or objections.

Commissioners noted that while the general plan is complete, the county still must review and update zoning ordinances to align with the plan’s policies. The commission discussed options for drafting or contracting the ordinance rewriting. Chair Gary Arrington said the commission could seek funds — for example, from solar project revenues — to pay consultants if the county pursues contracted drafting work.

Arrington also raised a separate issue about enforcement, saying the commission must consider how ordinances will be applied if a county attorney or county commission chooses not to pursue enforcement. “We have a county attorney that doesn’t want to enforce it and maybe a county commission that is not crazy about it,” Arrington said, arguing the commission should consider simplifying regulations so they are easier for residents to follow and for county officials to administer. He added that future commissions could strengthen enforcement at a later date if elected officials support that change.

The commission agreed to leave the general plan available for review on the website and to consider public comment at the Jan. 20 hearing. No final ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting; the commission discussed contracting options and budget sources as next steps.