Cedar Fort council lowers water‑right minimum for new residential lots to 0.75 acre‑feet in 3–2 vote

The Cedar Fort Town Council voted 3–2 on May 5 to change the town’s minimum water‑right requirement for new residential development to 0.75 acre‑feet, contingent on corresponding ordinance revisions. Mayor Wyatt Cook moved the change and Councilmen Eric Boud and Alex Carter voted with him; Councilmen Jed Berry and Travis Giles voted no.

Council discussion centered on the town’s culinary water sustainability and infrastructure needs. Members debated irrigable‑acre calculations, whether a 0.75‑acre‑foot threshold would be adequate given projected growth, and potential future investments such as additional wells, storage tanks and distribution improvements. Council members explicitly compared Cedar Fort’s draft thresholds to neighboring communities and discussed impact fees and funding mechanisms to support infrastructure expansion.

Opponents said the lower threshold could increase development pressure and pose long‑term risks to the town’s water system; supporters said 0.75 acre‑feet strikes a balance between encouraging development and preserving supplies, subject to future ordinance details. Council discussion named two specific alternative thresholds that had been under consideration: 0.75 and 1.0 acre‑feet.

The motion as recorded was: “I move to change the water right requirement to a minimum of 0.75 pending all of the ordinance changes to reflect that.” The council recorded the roll‑call vote: Councilmen Boud, Carter and Mayor Cook — Yes; Councilmen Berry and Giles — No. The motion passed.

Next steps: the council instructed staff to draft ordinance language to implement the change and bring the revisions forward for formal adoption at a future meeting. No effective date was specified in the meeting record.