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Levan explores buying 200 acre-feet of surplus Agripark water rights; council moves to closed session on pricing
Summary
R6 offered about 200 acre-feet of surplus water rights from a cancelled Agripark near Levan; R6 said conversion to municipal use should require little or no depletion in a septic-served town and offered contract terms that delay purchase until a change application is approved; the council entered a closed session to discuss pricing.
At a May 14 work session the Levan Town Council reviewed an offer from R6 for surplus water rights tied to a cancelled Agripark near Levan and voted to enter a closed session to discuss pricing.
Brayden Gardner, representing R6 as Agripark’s broker, told the council R6 acquired land and water rights for a planned agricultural business park near Levan but later relocated the project north of Nephi to reduce infrastructure costs by an estimated $20 million to $40 million. As a result, roughly 200 acre‑feet of water became surplus and are available for resale; those rights are currently being used under an agricultural use agreement while ownership transfer proceeds.
Gardner and the engineers discussed the process and risk of converting agricultural rights to municipal use. They said because the water is already underground and Levan uses septic systems (not sewer lagoons), an underground‑to‑underground change should not incur a significant depletion 'haircut.' Gardner referenced a conversation with Hayden Coombs at the Division of Water Rights supporting that expectation and said R6 intends to structure sales to protect buyers: R6 would assist with the change application and the town would not be required to close until the change application is approved.
Gardner also said R6 does not intend the resale as a profit-driven speculative exercise but as a consequence of the project relocation. Pricing details were not disclosed in the public session; the council made a motion to enter a closed session to discuss pricing. The record shows Council member Jerry Spence moved the closed session, Ray Evans seconded, and all present voted in favor. The public minutes record the council returning to open session at 7:00 p.m.
No public purchase or price was announced in the public portion of the meeting. Council members and staff indicated they will continue discussions with R6 and follow the recommended change‑application steps if they pursue acquisition.
