[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6655862,"mediaKeyId","5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2","parentId",5361741,"title","Council votes to close public meeting and enter closed session to discuss real-property, procurement evaluations and personnel","audioSeconds",83,"startMs",5165000,"endMs",5248000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2&start=5165&end=5248","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2/thumbnail_5165000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6655862/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Council-votes-to-close-public-meeting-and-enter-closed-session-to-discuss-real-property-procurement-evaluations-and-personnel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655862-b7ad37d6b74bdcf66a7adc985179f1bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028527&Signature=BqrvgEVLJITqr8s2M2tYiEJWh9~mr8KPG7bTrBlewpCj-CO9rM5B~-cdogsOQl7QYfFxo9vzyBiu0OW9zV4FWI7HhOkOuxySYjac8BsP1Fv0mJOrUQj4zfSPosmwJs7UmFqoZo3ITbvFlSMmlYZ-9HNQ68m7Xt0vf6Xu-v~YjvAa1hAYbcKpGgFOnjVN-95askNgJ8pOXzqTTnq70oEL-lOiwOLOLHD25-T8dHtjpVBSr1f-fODRGR2bo25PljlZlOGkN3kL~8HVmYuwRK6qDOXN3SQK82Gj90bMK1J2DdaT2K1MEkCWD~3dxViYxmgI29lh8~DkkjRKdOjfv8iybA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virgin","date","2025-07-10T23:22:59.72Z","article","Virgin — The Virgin Town Council moved at the July 9 meeting to close the public session and convene a closed meeting under Utah open-meeting law exceptions.

The motion cited three statutory reasons for a closed meeting: strategy related to purchase, exchange or lease of real property; deliberations as an evaluation committee to evaluate solicitation responses; and discussion of character or professional competence of an individual. Councilors then took a roll-call vote and closed the meeting.

Why it matters: The council invoked specific exceptions in Utah law that permit closed deliberations on real-property strategy, procurement evaluations, and personnel or qualification reviews. The council did not discuss substantive outcomes during the public session.

Vote at a glance
- Motion: Close the public meeting and open a closed meeting to discuss (1) strategy on purchase/exchange/lease of real property pursuant to Utah Code 52-4-205(1)(d)(i), (2) deliberations of an evaluation committee under Utah Code 52-4-205(1)(m), and (3) discussion of character or professional competence pursuant to Utah Code 52-4-205(1)(b).
- Outcome: Motion moved and seconded; roll-call votes recorded as affirmative by present members. The meeting record shows councilors voting in the affirmative (names recorded at roll call in meeting audio/notes); the meeting then went into closed session.

Ending
The council terminated the public portion and moved to a closed meeting; no further public action was recorded in the public portion of the July 9 agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Council Work Meeting 7- 9- 25","oneSentenceSummary","At the end of the July 9 meeting the council voted by roll call to close the public meeting and open a closed session to discuss real-property negotiations, solicitation evaluations, and personnel matters under Utah open-meeting law exceptions.","taxTitle","Virgin , Washington County, Utah","taxId",7486,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6655868,"Council reviews a package of planning ordinances; clarifies DRC review process and open-space rules",2796,2148000,4944000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2&start=2148&end=4944","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2/thumbnail_2148000.jpg","/articles/6655868/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Council-reviews-a-package-of-planning-ordinances-clarifies-DRC-review-process-and-open-space-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655868-292bfa21f56aab565b601abd0684828d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028527&Signature=GHUps5GlGNPFWSCIsxd6iJsnyv-mgeb4RJwydEp67w7XfkyRJChckSHzVxret1mLz5NOnwpyvarO17JUB1oY~gQvBlGzHGigWdC6hTbEq1VHudWLabbHM9oi~MQRvzpjvTLvyUvW3xOtrS3VE16AK6OmlocBhSIU3CJ8UiQDyEy6XQtbciR0POO70Z3DUBFYo2j5zcpoIgNTn5d5pNuOmj01FwkmRltkbmx-j1lcexwZstssAveNHKHDVdVuChTGWHfmEG2h33tuJjLy4AE5nRQOs~00~d66xmJtbcCnaOY21jcTW8uoePY8ussJero9tq3NyRuBL~xS-eIuZgWQPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Virgin — The Virgin Town Council reviewed several planning ordinances referred from the Planning Commission on July 9, including a parking-lot ordinance, an open-space zoning reinstatement, a live-work definition, and changes to procedures for Development Review Committee (DRC) reviews.

Councilors said Planning Commission staff uploaded clean copies of three ordinances shortly before the meeting; council discussion focused on specific edits, how to implement the open-space zone, and when DRC review is required.

Why it matters: The ordinances shape permissible uses, procedural review, and land-use enforcement across the town's planning framework. Reinstating an open-space zone and clarifying DRC review affect where development, short-term rentals, and other uses may be allowed.

Major items and council direction
- Parking-lot ordinance: Staff said a revised ordinance will replace the May draft and includes new definitions; council members asked staff to ensure the definition section (chapter 16.2.0.12) contains a definition for \"public parking lot.\" Staff confirmed the revised text is available in the Planning Commission packet and will be included for council review next week.

- Open-space zoning (reinstatement): The Planning Commission recommended reinstating an open-space zoning chapter. Council and the town attorney discussed adding an explicit list of prohibited uses (rather than relying solely on a catch-all clause) and lowering the draft minimum parcel size from 40 acres to a smaller figure (suggested 20 or possibly 10 acres) to promote use of the zone. Council directed staff to proceed with reinstatement but to work with Planning Commission on prohibited-use language and minimum-area adjustments. Staff noted that adding prohibited uses would require another public hearing.

- Live-work ordinance and terminology: The ordinance adds live-work housing options. The town attorney recommended using the term \"dwelling\" instead of \"unit\" or \"building\" for consistency with existing code. Council asked staff to propose consistent language (\"live-work dwelling\") and to notify the ordinance authors of the recommended change prior to the council's business meeting.

- Development Review Committee (DRC) scope and process: Council reviewed a proposed ordinance clarifying what goes to the DRC. Listed items include conditional-use permits, subdivisions and amendments, commercial site plans, lot-line adjustments, dwellings in the short-term rental overlay zone, and road dedications.
- The draft would prevent applicants from seeking DRC review for uses that are not listed as permitted or conditional in the underlying zone; instead, the draft would require those applicants to request a code amendment or planning review first. The provision's stated purpose is to avoid wasted DRC time and applicant expense when the underlying zoning does not permit a use.
- Council debated whether the community development director or the planning commission should determine whether a proposed use is \"substantially similar\" to a permitted or conditional use. Several council members and staff recommended the director make an initial determination, with the planning commission available on appeal.
- Council asked staff to insert language making DRC review a required conceptual step (a \"pre-review\") for the listed application types so that plan submittals include DRC feedback before applications are considered complete.
- Council agreed to include dwellings in the short-term rental overlay zone among items requiring DRC review.

- Complaint-procedure housekeeping: Council considered an ordinance that removes a complex complaint procedure from the land-use chapter and relocates a streamlined complaint process to an administrative section of the municipal code.

Quotes
\"I think we ought to look at something less than 40 acres, likely 20 and possibly even 10 as to promote open space within the town,\" the town attorney said, urging a lower minimum parcel size.

\"If a question arises concerning an appropriate classification of a particular use, the community development director may submit the question to the...planning commission,\" staff said, describing a process for interpretation and appeal.

Ending
Staff will return with revised ordinance language and the clean copies already uploaded to SharePoint; council scheduled some ordinance items for the next business meeting and asked planning staff to prepare public-hearing materials where required.","Councilors reviewed parking-lot, open-space, live-work and related ordinances from the Planning Commission, discussed adding explicit prohibited uses in the open-space zone and reducing minimum parcel size, and clarified the Development Review Committee's scope including short-term rental overlay reviews.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6655872,"Council discusses creating Community Development Department and director job description ahead of new town manager's start",128,1619000,1747000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2&start=1619&end=1747","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2/thumbnail_1619000.jpg","/articles/6655872/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Council-discusses-creating-Community-Development-Department-and-director-job-description-ahead-of-new-town-managers-start","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655872-a67dbce47b96815dfa144d567bbf63d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028527&Signature=J-ZdIa2ezTzk-qGDzHTQsLX6LLEj5Zc1tjj5yCg8GGp9Da7ALebynDCGVlTs0O~qNPX84SMvHbMae261jZNlG7iF~zzs72b7nrAOs8yNMMVFaW7NjHEO4bpK-KWi9DAjDKqIpAbUCZ2-SjFAM2gbPIZmoU5nyGeK9wfe1zTL4QEJiyTQ5sTXy4WHGK2Xv2ridslmFKXCoE6UA96v2SlE6FZN0ZICyh~-QSFyw17U0MupzKiNgGa5aEEvvJjkE6w8ugCHELb9jqBShi2z5mQ0Z0QBNyLfv56xbgPNln64~gyKERxtJ8NX2Nk192xHV-p2p4qfdZ5KCvLUxGLyhjmCog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Virgin — The Virgin Town Council debated how to create a Community Development Department for the town's incoming manager, who also will serve as director of community development.

Council members and the town attorney recommended creating the department by ordinance, especially if it will hold utility responsibilities or a separate budget. The town's incoming manager is scheduled to start Sept. 27; council members expressed a desire to have the department structure and a director job description prepared before that start date but left open whether final adoption must wait until after the manager begins.

Why it matters: Establishing a formal department defines leadership, scope, and budgeting authority. If the department will manage utility systems, forming it by ordinance provides clearer legal and financial separation.

Key points discussed:
- Heath, the town attorney, advised that departments that operate as utility-based entities generally should be created by ordinance, identifying leadership, purpose, scope and a separate budget.
- Council discussed preparing a job description for the director of community development and preferred to have it available before the new manager starts, but acknowledged the manager could also provide input after beginning work.
- Councilors emphasized they are the final decision makers; they welcomed the incoming manager's expertise but did not want the manager to unilaterally write or impose a job description without council review.

Ending
Council asked staff to draft an ordinance and a director job description, consult with the incoming manager as appropriate, and return materials for the council to review and approve before or shortly after the manager's September start date.","Council discussed whether to establish a Community Development Department by ordinance, draft a director job description, and have the incoming town manager/director review drafts before final council action.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6655877,"Virgin council reviews 2019 impact-fee study, considers ordinance to adopt updated fees",265,355000,620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2&start=355&end=620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5361741-7de620d622e6b79ecf6aeff1034134a2/thumbnail_355000.jpg","/articles/6655877/Virgin/Washington-County/Utah/Virgin-council-reviews-2019-impact-fee-study-considers-ordinance-to-adopt-updated-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655877-dfb6caafd416ddd973d3f752e6766dd9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028527&Signature=Yv7YKQdUe-wVvC3MOmikncXK7RTtp69SfDOXgz4rMA6-ZRxKarj11mwTWuTb0vZwTLjlWGtu0qWysPiZjRXAXRkSQwGnZWVA56iYMHgJOyQfuNOtXt8kGaZG123SYzWIhC0frGXAJOWL1ZPggE34vi3pzmF9~7gXbFMl2f0riL8uXhIT4X0nuvIiMrXu9HQ8OvGALkavPpeU5kfEdbkWXUgGzZPuBV28cLvTtl1xFMhkbujDvuHFEizHe6p1SkU4I43Xr~UShSBNID0yoqElzHlilKqdPpF~EOQz4A3j~GMDGEUR0chFi5N6t2i~DxzNkTLfUS~g4DUoczmiAxgBfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Virgin — Members of the Virgin Town Council spent a large portion of their July 9 work meeting reviewing a 2019 impact-fee study and discussing whether to adopt an updated fee schedule by ordinance.

Council members and staff said the town never adopted an ordinance implementing the impact-fee schedule that a 2019 consultant, Rod, presented, so the fees never took effect. Town staff reported the town has been charging lower, older fees for roughly five years because the ordinance implementing the 2019 study was not enacted.

Council attorney Heath said the town can refresh the 2019 study and make edits to reflect projects that have since been funded or completed. He noted changes to Utah's Impact Fee Act since 2019 that staff and the consultant will need to account for when updating calculations.

Why it matters: Impact fees pay for capital improvements tied to new development; if the town adopts the higher schedule recommended in 2019, it could increase charges for new development and change revenue projections. Council members expressed concern about lost revenue over multiple years and sought clarity on how fee components were calculated.

Key details from the meeting:
- Staff said they searched for the 2019 study and only recently rediscovered a clean copy in the town's SharePoint; Rod is reviewing it again.
- The town received no bids when it issued an RFP to update the impact-fee study; firms advised the town to complete related studies first (parks and stormwater), because those capital projects affect impact-fee calculations.
- Staff estimated the updated, coordinated study work would likely not be complete until the following summer; the stormwater study is expected later this year and the park study toward June of next year.
- In the meantime, staff proposed adopting an interim ordinance to implement the 2019-recommended fee schedule rather than continue charging outdated, lower fees. Staff said Utah law requires a written ordinance to adopt fees; a resolution alone does not implement fees.
- Council discussed specific line items in the 2019 report: several fees tied to 'source' charges (water conservancy district fees) were no longer applicable because the town no longer charges that item. Removing those source fees reduces the net change between the current and proposed totals in some categories.
- The consultant had recommended moving from ERC (equivalent residential connections) to charging by meter size; council members and staff said the 2019 study includes meter-size tables for commercial customers and recommended the town adopt meter-size charges for clarity and consistency with the water conservancy district.

Next steps and schedule: Council directed staff and Rod to do a targeted review, update dates, and repackage the study so a public hearing and ordinance adoption can be scheduled. Council members discussed aiming for an August public hearing, with September as a fallback, and agreed staff should prepare an ordinance and public-notice materials for the hearing. Heath confirmed a public hearing is required before adopting an impact-fee ordinance.

Quotes
\"We did not adopt an ordinance, which is required by law. All they said is we're adopting these, nor did they ever go and implement the new impact fees,\" a staff member said during the meeting.

\"Rod can refresh that study and analysis as long as it complies with, you know, and there have been a few little changes with Utah's Impact Fee Act,\" the town attorney said.

Ending
Council members asked staff to return with a cleaned-up package and recommended timing for public hearing and adoption later this summer or early fall, while the town pursues the complementary park and stormwater studies that will inform any larger recalculation of fees.","Council members reviewed a 2019 impact-fee study, discussed why previously recommended fees were never implemented, and agreed to pursue updates and public hearings this summer with a target for council action in August or September.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council votes to close public meeting and enter closed session to discuss real-property, procurement evaluations and personnel

Council reviews a package of planning ordinances; clarifies DRC review process and open-space rules

Council discusses creating Community Development Department and director job description ahead of new town manager's start

Virgin council reviews 2019 impact-fee study, considers ordinance to adopt updated fees