Council reviews municipal-code rewrite that shifts many land-use approvals to DRC with appeals to Planning Commission

The American Fork City Council met in work session June 16 to review a working draft of a comprehensive municipal-code rewrite that would move many administrative land-use decisions out of the City Council’s direct approval role.

Consultant Cherylyn Egner and Development Services Director Patrick O’Brien told Council members the draft responds to recent state legislation requiring administrative handling of site plans, conditional-use permits, subdivision plats and similar matters. Ms. Egner described a primary structural change: administrative approvals would be handled by a Development Review Committee (DRC) and appeals heard by the Planning Commission rather than the City Council. She framed the change as a way to create a clearer approval and appeal pathway while reducing political influence in day-to-day decisions.

Council members pressed staff on practical effects, transparency and alternatives. Mayor Bradley J. Frost noted that the Planning Commission is appointed by the City Council, meaning residents still have an indirect accountability route. Staff said outsourcing appeals to independent hearing officers is possible but typically more expensive. Mr. O’Brien stressed the draft would not expand staff discretion: “applications will continue to be approved if they meet code requirements and would either be tabled or denied if they do not,” he said.

The draft also removes a longstanding administrative shortcut that allowed staff to approve unlisted uses if they were considered “similar in nature” to permitted uses. Under the proposed approach, an unlisted use would require a formal code amendment before appearing on the permitted- or conditional-use table, restoring legislative review for new categories.

Ms. Egner said the rewrite consolidates separate ordinances into the municipal code for clarity and ease of use; the draft is roughly 530 pages compared with more than 800 pages under current code, she told Council. She and staff recommended embedding as many definitions as possible in the code (rather than relying on an external association) and using dated external references only as a fallback to avoid future terminology drift.

Council members requested additional review time and one-on-one meetings with staff ahead of Planning Commission review, which Mr. O’Brien said is anticipated in early August. Staff will return with clarified measurement standards, a finalized use table, and follow-up comparisons of appeal and administrative options.

The work session was advisory; no action or vote was taken.