Commission approves 105.51-acre agriculture protection area for Webster property

The Iron County Commission approved a petition to designate roughly 105.51 acres owned by Clark and Ruth Webster as an Agricultural Protection Area under Utah Code 17-81.

Brett, the county planner, laid out the statutory criteria at a public hearing and said the property meets the five factors the code requires: it is in agricultural use, zoned for agriculture, viable for continued farming, contains agricultural improvements and shows continued demand for lamb and wool production. He told commissioners the Agricultural Protection Area Advisory Board and the Planning Commission both recommended approval.

During public comment, Robert Boulou of Cedar City said he supported the petition, cited local agricultural history and urged protecting farm land as a legacy for future generations. After brief commissioner questions about adjacent properties and the statutory 20-year minimum protection period, a commissioner moved to approve the area under the newly renumbered code section; the motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote.

The designation shields qualifying farm practices and structures from being characterized as nuisances, restricts some eminent-domain actions for land in active agricultural production and allows nearby landowners to apply separately to be included. Brett said adjoining owners could submit separate applications if they wished and staff recommended processing those independently.

The commission recorded the approval as a formal action; staff will update county records and notify affected property owners and stakeholders of the change. The agricultural protection status may be modified or removed by the owner in the future, and the designation is subject to review at the statutory intervals in state code.