Agenda Item Title:
Title
City Council considering the adoption of Ordinance #21-14 enacting a temporary land use regulation prohibiting development on properties east of Wasatch Boulevard.
Body
Presenter:
Council Member Nicholl
Body
Description/Background:
Ordinance #21-14 is a temporary land use regulation designed to identify and address deficiencies in the City’s current development and land use regulations concerning development on steep slope properties and on areas adjacent to those properties.
Development on steep slope foothill properties, and on areas adjacent to those properties, creates concerns regarding water quality and watershed protection, preservation of drainage and debris flow corridors, identification of earthquake fault lines, rockfall hazards, and other geotechnical issues, and mitigation of wildland urban interface fire risks and other natural hazards. Although Sandy City land use ordinances prohibit development on properties with steep slopes, they also allow development on adjacent areas that will impact or exacerbate these natural hazards on those sensitive lands, and create the potential of increased risk to other areas of the City.
Sandy City has a responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents, and to ensure that any development on these sensitive lands does not create safety risks for the residents of those properties, or for residents in other areas of the City. Several Council members have expressed concerns that allowing further development in these sensitive areas, without first taking the time necessary to identify, map and address these natural hazards, and to enact and ensure the appropriate regulatory controls and protections for those areas would create a significant risk to the public safety of City residents.
Utah Code section 10-9a-504 authorizes the City Council to enact an ordinance establishing a temporary land use regulation within the City if the Council makes a finding that a compelling, countervailing public interest exists. This temporary land use ordinance would allow the City administration time to identify, investigate, evaluate and define how the natural hazards associated with these steep slope foothill property areas should be addressed and regulated to protect the health, safety and welfare of all the citizens of Sandy City, and to allow the City Council adequate time to evaluate and enact appropriate regulations. By law, the temporary land use regulation cannot remain in effect for more than six months.
Recommended Action and/or Suggested Motion:
Recommendation
Motion to adopt Ordinance #21-14.