Ballard City Council adopts land‑use ordinance updates, confirms Planning & Zoning appointment and transfers pavilion reservations to county district

Ballard City Council met May 5, 2026, and unanimously approved a package of land‑use and administrative measures, including two ordinance amendments, a rezoning request, a fees-and-schedule resolution and a transfer of pavilion reservation scheduling to Uintah Special Service District 1 (USSD1). The council also appointed Leah Bastian to the Planning & Zoning Board and heard an engineering update on a local roadway project.

The package: why it matters

The council’s actions update local land‑use rules, consolidate mapping and fee schedules that govern development and permitting, and move park pavilion reservation administration and associated revenues from the city to USSD1, the special district that already provides parks operations and maintenance. Officials said these changes aim to streamline administration and align city regulations with state code recodification.

What the council approved

Appointment: The council confirmed Leah Bastian to the Planning & Zoning Board by Resolution No. 202605004; Deputy Recorder Tasha Crum administered the oath of office. The motion to confirm was made by Council Member Alfred Kettle and seconded by Ben Allred; the council voted in favor.

Parks and pavilion reservations: Cheryl Meier, Executive Director of Uintah Special Service District 1, presented a draft memorial policy and proposed that USSD1 assume pavilion reservation scheduling and receive reservation revenues for Ballard City parks to fund ongoing operations and maintenance. Meier said USSD1 would not charge the town for community events and would administer temporary amenities under standard park‑use policies. Council Member Ben Allred moved to allow USSD1 to take over reservation scheduling for Ballard City pavilions; Shaun Murray seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Rezoning: The council approved a rezoning request from Sage McCormick to change a 9.94‑acre property near 1000 North and 3500 East from mixed residential‑agricultural/light industrial to solely Residential Agricultural (RA). The motion was made by Shaun Murray, seconded by Ben Allred, and passed unanimously.

Ordinances and fees: Kendall Welch of Jones & DeMille joined via Microsoft Teams to present final revisions to Landuse Ordinance Title 15 and Subdivision Ordinance Title 14. Welch said the updates were reviewed for technical accuracy and to reflect the Legislature’s recent recodification of state code references. Council members voted to adopt both Title 15 and Title 14 amendments. Welch also presented a Fees & Schedule amendment resolution, which the council approved on a unanimous vote.

Zoning map consolidation: Jeff Baker of Jones & DeMille proposed reconciling multiple, conflicting zoning maps and consolidating the final zoning map into the city’s GIS. He estimated a cost of about $8,000, billed at standard hourly rates; the final amount depends on the number of property owner notices required. Baker recommended that City staff member Tasha Crum handle much of the mailing using a consultant template. The council voted to proceed.

Engineering update: Baker updated the council on the 1000 S roadway project, saying bids are due June 1 at 1 p.m. and that bid results will be presented at the June 2 council meeting. He also said he is working with Public Works Director Ben Mower on a consolidated Design and Construction Standards document that will incorporate select water‑district standards and draw on PWA 2024; Baker noted coordination with the U.S. Army Corps on permitting.

Other business and procedural items

Deputy Pratt provided an update on community events and incidents. Council Member Alfred Kettle reported a successful fundraiser for a resident with burn injuries and noted current fire restrictions. The council approved April 21, 2026 minutes and the city finances as presented. Council Member Ben Allred recommended forming a hiring committee to fill the Ballard City Zoning Administrator position; he said he would reach out to potential members. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

What’s next

Council staff will present bid results for the 1000 S project at the June 2 meeting. USSD1 will finalize any required adoption of the memorial policy; the finalized document will be provided to Ballard City for acknowledgement or local adoption steps.