Utah’s State Legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 337, which could potentially “give state agencies total land-use authority over parts of the state they consider a significant community impact,” according to an op-ed published Monday (March 3).
SB337 “Land Use and Development Amendments” has already been met with huge backlash online, as it appears to paint the State Legislature as “just a giant real estate development corporation,” said one social media user. In its language, SB337 “would have the power to designate up to three ‘significant community impact’ projects a year in any city or county in the state” via the creative of the Beehive Development Agency, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
“This legislation often not only usurps the conscientious, decades-long planning efforts of city planning commissions, councils and the will of residents, but it has also actually made our housing situation worse,” wrote Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs for Desert. Staggs explained how “Utah has thrived by empowering voters through local control,” noting that the needs of residents in Riverton are not the same as those in Salt Lake City.
“Utahns concerned with seemingly unfettered high-density housing construction in their neighborhoods will soon discover their local city council can do little to stop the state mandates,” should the bill pass before the end of Utah’s session on Friday, March 7.
‘Five-Alarm Fire’ In Fight For Freedom?
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Kirk Cullimore and Gov. Spencer Cox, and gives sweeping authority to those on the Beehive board.
“Every Utah taxpayer should be alarmed by this bill, which represents massive government overreach,” Utah rep. for the Center for Biological Diversity Deeda Seed, told SLTribune. “This bill could result in authorization of massive projects regardless of what the local communities think or the harm to the public interest. This bill is a five-alarm fire for Utahns.”
The bill language guarantees that local counties and cities across Utah would have no choice to state involvement in these local developments. This means local authorities and tax payers would be forced to cover the costs of things like “roads, sewer, police and fire coverage, schools or power that the county or city government would have to supply, whether the local governments support the project or not,” SLTribune added. If passed, the bill “empowers a five-member board … assigned with identifying ‘a major economic project involving job creation, housing, energy or capital investment goals.’”
Who Opposes The Bill?
Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties both oppose the bill, as do many voters and lawmakers.
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“Legislature should focus on massive roadway and water infrastructure improvements, policy changes to federal lands, proper incentives for out-of state businesses and ensuring owner-occupied housing is prioritized,” Staggs noted, along with outlining key ways Utah should actually address its housing and other related issues.
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