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Tooele Council adopts temporary rule tightening review of water-right conveyances
Summary
The council approved Ordinance 2026-05, a temporary land-use regulation allowing the city to better vet water-right conveyances for quality, quantity and supply; the city engineer said the measure does not change exaction amounts but gives the city discretion to refuse or condition non-developable water rights.
The Tooele City Council voted March 18 to adopt a temporary land-use ordinance intended to strengthen the city’s review of water-right conveyances for new development.
City Engineer Paul Hansen told the council the proposed ordinance would not change the amount of water-right exaction required from developers but would add language allowing the city to evaluate proposed conveyances for quality and supply and to refuse or place conditions on rights that are not tied to identifiable, developable water sources. "It does not change the amount of exaction. It's simply to give the city some additional protection for our future use," Hansen said.
Hansen said the measure is intended to protect the city as groundwater and other resources become harder to develop; he noted work is underway to develop new resources, including a well near Rogers Road. Because the ordinance is temporary, it could be applied immediately if approved and will be taken to the planning commission for their recommendation on any permanent code change.
Councilwoman Goaches moved to approve Ordinance 2026-05; Councilman McCall seconded. The ordinance passed on a unanimous 5-0 vote.
The council recorded the ordinance's approval and directed staff to proceed with the standard planning-commission review for code amendment recommendations.
