Commission hears controversial Spring City zoning request

MANTI—A proposal to shrink minimum lot sizes in Spring City’s buffer zone sparked debate at the Sanpete County Commission meeting on Tuesday, April 15, with commissioners ultimately tabling the matter for a month to gather more information.

Spring City Councilman Randy Strate introduced the idea of creating a new zoning ring, tentatively called RA-1, about 1,000 feet out from the Spring City limits.

Under the plan, the minimum lot size in that area would be one-half acre, compared to the current 1-acre standard in the pre-existing buffer zone and in nearly all of Spring City itself.

Strate said reducing lot sizes could encourage development where city services—water, sewer and power—are more readily available.

“Right now, we kind of feel like we’re being overwhelmed [by growth] because we have no plan,” Strate told the commissioners “We can come to the table and plan for growth, or we can be overwhelmed by it.”

However, Commission Chair Scott Bartholomew indicated he had received calls from constituents expressing concern about increased density. Bartholomew and the other commissioners said they needed more time to study the proposal and asked Strate to return in a month.

“We have not had a chance to look at this,” Bartholomew said. “We want to be thorough before we decide anything.”

The commission voted unanimously to table the issue for at least 30 days.

“We have not had a chance to look at this. We want to be thorough before we decide anything.”

Commission Chairman Scott Bartholomew

Spring City Council action

The commission meeting follows months of discussion within Spring City. Council members have been weighing a similar change to reduce the minimum lot size inside city limits from 1.06 acres to a half-acre.

Strate, who authored the buffer-zone proposal, has said smaller lots could help address “challenges with infrastructure costs” facing the city.

On March 6, the Spring City Council voted, 4-1, to begin talking with the county about a new zone in the buffer area, specifying half-acre lots only if new developments connect to the city sewer. Further wording requires new subdivisions to align with Spring City’s road grid.

During a subsequent council meeting on April 3, Spring City officials asked their Planning and Zoning Committee to provide a clear recommendation by May 1 on whether to lower the minimum lot size within city limits. Several Spring City residents have expressed fears the move could fundamentally alter the city’s historic, rural character.

“Right now, we kind of feel like we’re being overwhelmed (by growth) because we hae no plan. We can come to the table and plan for growth, or we can be overwhelmed by it.”

Spring City Councilman Randy Strate

Public concerns

Some citizens worry that smaller lots will strain the local water supply and other resources, while others feel higher density near town center is preferable to sprawl in unincorporated areas.

Before the county commission can change zoning in the buffer zone, the plan must go to the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission for a public hearing and recommendation, followed by a final county commission vote.

If county officials ultimately approve the change, Spring City would hold its own public hearing before the plan takes effect.

For now, the commissioners say they want to hear from more citizens and review the proposal’s specifics. The item is expected to resurface on the commission agenda in about a month, where a decision or further direction could shape how Spring City and the county manage growth in the months and years to come.