Residents and municipal leaders urge limits on density, protect scenic corridors and wildfire safety

A joint public hearing attracted mayors, town council members and many Washington County residents who raised concerns about draft rules for a new Plan Development Multi‑Family zone along I‑15. Speakers urged caution on density, potential loss of scenic views, wildfire risk and infrastructure strain and asked commissioners to require closer coordination with cities before large projects proceed.

Topreville Mayor Dan Catlin criticized the draft density, saying it “far exceeds what we allow by general plan,” and urged county staff to consult municipal planners about traffic and infrastructure impacts. Multiple speakers from Leeds and surrounding communities asked that proximity limits apply to all project sizes and requested transition zones at municipal boundaries. Fire‑risk and water availability were recurring themes: speakers asked the commission to make WUI compliance explicit and to require sewer and water district hookups rather than permitting standalone septic or private utility schemes.

Speakers also advocated for smaller, interspersed developments (many suggested smaller than 50 units) and added neighborhood‑scale commercial and recreational amenities to support families and make projects sustainable. Commissioners recorded several of those concerns into on‑the‑record amendments to the ordinance (lower density, project caps, WUI language and utility‑connection language). The commissioners reiterated that any use of the new zone still requires a subsequent zone change and a full project plan that will carry its own notice and public‑comment process.