10-20-404. General plan preparation.

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A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 5/6/2026

(a)The planning commission shall provide notice, as provided in Section 10-20-203 , of the planning commission's intent to make a recommendation to the municipal legislative body for a general plan or a comprehensive general plan amendment when the planning commission initiates the process of preparing the planning commission's recommendation.

(b)The planning commission shall make and recommend to the legislative body a proposed general plan for the area within the municipality.

(c)The plan may include areas outside the boundaries of the municipality if, in the planning commission's judgment, those areas are related to the planning of the municipality's territory.

(d)Except as otherwise provided by law or with respect to a municipality's power of eminent domain, when the plan of a municipality involves territory outside the boundaries of the municipality, the municipality may not take action affecting that territory without the concurrence of the county or other municipalities affected.

(a)At a minimum, the proposed general plan, with the accompanying maps, charts, and descriptive and explanatory matter, shall include the planning commission's recommendations for the following plan elements:

(i)a land use element that:

(A)designates the long-term goals and the proposed extent, general distribution, and location of land for housing for residents of various income levels, business, industry, agriculture, recreation, education, public buildings and grounds, open space, and other categories of public and private uses of land as appropriate;

(B)includes a statement of the projections for and standards of population density and building intensity recommended for the various land use categories covered by the plan;

(C)except for a city of the fifth class or a town, is coordinated to integrate the land use element with the water use and preservation element; and

(D)except for a city of the fifth class or a town, accounts for the effect of land use categories and land uses on water demand;

(ii)a transportation and traffic circulation element that:

(A)provides the general location and extent of existing and proposed freeways, arterial and collector streets, public transit, active transportation facilities, and other modes of transportation that the planning commission considers appropriate;

(B)for a municipality that has access to a major transit investment corridor, addresses the municipality's plan for residential and commercial development around major transit investment corridors to maintain and improve the connections between housing, employment, education, recreation, and commerce;

(C)for a municipality that does not have access to a major transit investment corridor, addresses the municipality's plan for residential and commercial development in areas that will maintain and improve the connections between housing, transportation, employment, education, recreation, and commerce; and

(D)correlates with the population projections, the employment projections, and the proposed land use element of the general plan;

(iii)a moderate income housing element that meets the requirements of Section 10-21-201 ; and

(iv)except for a city of the fifth class or a town, a water use and preservation element that addresses:

(A)the effect of permitted development or patterns of development on water demand and water infrastructure;

(B)methods of reducing water demand and per capita consumption for future development;

(C)methods of reducing water demand and per capita consumption for existing development; and

(D)opportunities for the municipality to modify the municipality's operations to eliminate practices or conditions that waste water.

(b)In drafting the land use element, the planning commission shall:

(i)identify and consider each agriculture protection area within the municipality;

(ii)avoid proposing a use of land within an agriculture protection area that is inconsistent with or detrimental to the use of the land for agriculture; and

(iii)consider and coordinate with any station area plans adopted by the municipality if required under Section 63N-23-104 .

(c)In drafting the transportation and traffic circulation element, the planning commission shall:

(A)consider and coordinate with the regional transportation plan developed by the municipality's region's metropolitan planning organization, if the municipality is within the boundaries of a metropolitan planning organization; or

(B)consider and coordinate with the long-range transportation plan developed by the Department of Transportation, if the municipality is not within the boundaries of a metropolitan planning organization; and

(ii)consider and coordinate with any station area plans adopted by the municipality if required under Section 63N-23-104 .

(d)In drafting the water use and preservation element, the planning commission:

(i)shall consider:

(A)applicable regional water conservation goals recommended by the Division of Water Resources; and

(B)if Section 73-10-32 requires the municipality to adopt a water conservation plan in accordance with Section 73-10-32 , the municipality's water conservation plan;

(ii)shall include a recommendation for:

(A)water conservation policies to be determined by the municipality; and

(B)landscaping options within a public street for current and future development that do not require the use of lawn or turf in a parkstrip;

(iii)shall review the municipality's land use ordinances and include a recommendation for changes to an ordinance that promotes the inefficient use of water;

(iv)shall consider principles of sustainable landscaping, including the:

(A)reduction or limitation of the use of lawn or turf;

(B)promotion of site-specific landscape design that decreases stormwater runoff or runoff of water used for irrigation;

(C)preservation and use of healthy trees that have a reasonable water requirement or are resistant to dry soil conditions;

(D)elimination or regulation of ponds, pools, and other features that promote unnecessary water evaporation;

(E)reduction of yard waste; and

(F)use of an irrigation system, including drip irrigation, best adapted to provide the optimal amount of water to the plants being irrigated;

(v)shall consult with the public water system or systems serving the municipality with drinking water regarding how implementation of the land use element and water use and preservation element may affect:

(A)water supply planning, including drinking water source and storage capacity consistent with Section 19-4-114 ; and

(B)water distribution planning, including master plans, infrastructure asset management programs and plans, infrastructure replacement plans, and impact fee facilities plans;

(vi)shall consult with the Division of Water Resources for information and technical resources regarding regional water conservation goals, including how implementation of the land use element and the water use and preservation element may affect the Great Salt Lake;

(vii)may include recommendations for additional water demand reduction strategies, including:

(A)creating a water budget associated with a particular type of development;

(B)adopting new or modified lot size, configuration, and landscaping standards that will reduce water demand for new single family development;

(C)providing one or more water reduction incentives for existing development such as modification of existing landscapes and irrigation systems and installation of water fixtures or systems that minimize water demand;

(D)discouraging incentives for economic development activities that do not adequately account for water use or do not include strategies for reducing water demand; and

(E)adopting water concurrency standards requiring that adequate water supplies and facilities are or will be in place for new development; and

(viii)for a town, may include, and for another municipality, shall include, a recommendation for low water use landscaping standards for a new:

(A)commercial, industrial, or institutional development;

(B)common interest community, as defined in Section 57-25-102 ; or

(C)multifamily housing project.

(3)The proposed general plan may include:

(a)an environmental element that addresses:

(i)the protection, conservation, development, and use of natural resources, including the quality of:

(A)air;

(B)forests;

(C)soils;

(D)rivers;

(E)groundwater and other waters;

(F)harbors;

(G)fisheries;

(H)wildlife;

(I)minerals; and

(J)other natural resources; and

(A)the reclamation of land, flood control, prevention and control of the pollution of streams and other waters;

(B)the regulation of the use of land on hillsides, stream channels and other environmentally sensitive areas;

(C)the prevention, control, and correction of the erosion of soils;

(D)the preservation and enhancement of watersheds and wetlands; and

(E)the mapping of known geologic hazards;

(b)a public services and facilities element showing general plans for sewage, water, waste disposal, drainage, public utilities, rights-of-way, easements, and facilities for them, police and fire protection, and other public services;

(c)a rehabilitation, redevelopment, and conservation element consisting of plans and programs for:

(i)historic preservation;

(ii)the diminution or elimination of a development impediment as defined in Section 17C-1-102 ; and

(iii)redevelopment of land, including housing sites, business and industrial sites, and public building sites;

(d)an economic element composed of appropriate studies and forecasts, as well as an economic development plan, which may include review of existing and projected municipal revenue and expenditures, revenue sources, identification of basic and secondary industry, primary and secondary market areas, employment, and retail sales activity;

(e)recommendations for implementing all or any portion of the general plan, including the adoption of land and water use ordinances, capital improvement plans, community development and promotion, and any other appropriate action;

(f)provisions addressing any of the matters listed in Subsection 10-20-401(2) or Section 10-20-403 ; and

(g)any other element the municipality considers appropriate.

Amended by Chapter 94 , 2026 General Session