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Herriman leaders debate rescinding outreach policy after state curbs on required meetings
Summary
City staff told a joint Planning Commission and City Council meeting that state law now limits cities’ ability to require pre-hearing community meetings, prompting debate over whether to rescind, suspend, or revise Herriman’s Community Outreach Program. No policy change was adopted; staff will return with proposals.
Herriman city staff presented options to rescind, suspend or revise the city’s Community Outreach Program policy during a joint Planning Commission and City Council meeting on April 30, noting recent state law changes that limit what cities may require before land-use hearings.
Staff member (Speaker 6) told commissioners and council members that the outreach policy, adopted around 2017, is supported by standard operating procedures and volunteer community facilitators but now conflicts with state code. "Primarily because the state no longer allows cities to require any kind of public meeting, community meeting," Speaker 6 said, describing limits on requiring meetings before the local Land Use Authority and explaining that the city must update policies to reflect those legal changes.
Why it matters: The outreach policy has been used to prompt developer-led meetings and neighborhood open houses before formal hearings. Supporters said the policy helped reduce late-stage objections on major projects; critics argued it has become costly in staff time and can create unrealistic expectations about what the city can commit to deliver.
Council and commission members divided. Speaker 5 cautioned that volunteer efforts require staff support, saying, "Volunteers are fantastic. We love volunteers. But they are not free," and warned of hidden resource demands for coordination. Speaker 7 said he believes the program "has probably run its course" as large-scale development slows, while Speaker 8 and others argued for preserving some structure, such as a reserved meeting night or stronger community-council connections, to maintain engagement.
Staff also reviewed notice practices and subdivision hearing options. Speaker 6 noted the city has relied on a 300-foot public-notice radius but that a recent state change allows municipalities to set their own radius; commissioners discussed trade-offs between broader notice (higher cost) and local awareness. The staff summary also examined the planning commission’s administrative referral policy and whether some routine subdivision items could move to a consent agenda to streamline hearings.
Outcome and next steps: Council and commissioners did not adopt a policy change at the meeting. Staff were asked to return with recommended code changes and options that comply with state law, including the possible path of rescinding, suspending, or revising the Community Outreach Program; Speaker 11 recommended focusing changes on state-law-required modifications. The parks-amenities policy will be updated afterward and the city’s parks master plan is expected to be completed in 2025, which staff said will inform outreach on park projects.
