Planning commission recommends raising private road width to 26 feet and requiring sidewalks on private multi‑unit roads

Ephraim City Planning Commission on March 25 recommended the City Council amend Ephraim City Code section 11.24.040 to require a 26‑foot minimum width for private roads and to require 5‑foot sidewalks, curb, gutter and drainage on private roads that serve developments with multiple dwelling units.

City Planner Megan Spurling told the commission the current code language allows a 24‑foot minimum on private roads the city does not maintain, which does not align with the International Fire Code; she asked the commission to recommend changing the local code to match the 26‑foot standard. City Engineer Bryan Kimball said most communities follow the International Fire Code requirement and that the city enforces the 26‑foot width when developers construct roads. Commissioners asked whether the state imposes different standards and whether the sidewalk requirement would be retroactive; Bryan said the 26‑foot requirement is typical and that curb, gutter and drainage are required elsewhere in the code as frontage improvements, and the proposed amendment would clarify application to private roads serving multiple units.

The commission voted to recommend the City Council change 11.24.040 to increase the minimum private road asphalt width from 24 to 26 feet to comply with the International Fire Code; that motion was moved by Planning Commissioner Larry Smith and seconded by Planning Commissioner Desiree Funk and carried. The commission also voted to recommend adding language to 11.24.040 requiring 5‑foot sidewalks with drainage, curb and gutter for private roads serving developments with multiple dwelling units; that motion was moved by Planning Commissioner Desiree Funk and seconded by Planning Commission Member Carol Jacobsen and carried. The minutes record motions and that both carried; no roll‑call tallies were included in the transcript.

Why it matters: Raising private road width to 26 feet aligns local requirements with fire‑safety standards and will affect future private developments; clarifying sidewalk and frontage requirements aims to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility for residents of multi‑unit private developments. The recommendations now go to the City Council for final action.