LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL H.J.R. 27
6 Approved for Filing: P. Owen 6
6 02-07-24 12:21 PM 6
1 JOINT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING WATER-EFFICIENT
2 LANDSCAPING ORDINANCES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION
3 2024 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Doug Owens
6 Senate Sponsor: Michael K. McKell
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution encourages municipalities and counties to address water efficient land
11 use for new construction.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 < recognizes the importance of water to the state;
15 < supports water-efficient landscaping as a key strategy for meeting water
16 optimization goals; and
17 < recommends that municipalities and counties adopt for new construction
18 water-efficient landscaping ordinances and water use and preservation elements in
19 general plans.
20 Special Clauses:
21 None
22
23 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24 WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake reached a record low water level in November 2022,
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25 resulting in salinity levels that threatened the Great Salt Lake's ecosystem;
26 WHEREAS, the Utah Division of Water Resources regional water goals, adopted in
27 2019, challenge Utah residents to achieve between a 15% and 27% reduction in gallons per
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28 capita per day water use in individual regions throughout the state by 2040;
29 WHEREAS, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute projected that population growth in
30 Utah will result in an increase of 35% more households in 2040 and 84% more households in
31 2060 than in 2025;
32 WHEREAS, the majority of culinary water delivered to households throughout the year
33 is used for outdoor purposes;
34 WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake Commissioner issued his 2024 Great Salt Lake
35 Strategic Plan which recognizes water-wise landscaping for new development as one of the
36 quickest strategies for reaching regional conservation goals;
37 WHEREAS, the Legislature directed cities and counties to adopt a water use and
38 preservation element in their respective general plan documents by December 31, 2025;
39 WHEREAS, the general plan water use and preservation element is required to include
40 recommendations for low water use landscaping standards for most new development
41 throughout the state;
42 WHEREAS, using proven design techniques such as Localscapes, landscaping for
43 homes and businesses can still include trees, shrubs, and other plants that are watered through
44 drip irrigation to create an attractive appearance using smaller amounts of water-intensive lawn
45 and avoid the creation of heat islands;
46 WHEREAS, many local governments have adopted updated or new ordinances
47 requiring water efficient landscaping in new construction so residents will have access to
48 financial incentives to assist in removing nonfunctional lawn from existing landscapes;
49 WHEREAS, despite the adoption of ordinances by some local governments,
50 approximately 40% of the residents of the Great Salt Lake basin live in a community with no,
51 or inadequate, requirements for landscaping associated with new construction; and
52 WHEREAS, by reducing their residents' water demand for outdoor water use, counties
53 and municipalities can play an important role in shouldering their share of stretching the state's
54 water supply and, where needed, benefiting the environment; and
55 WHEREAS, reducing the amount of water devoted to outdoor landscaping purposes
56 will require a concerted effort through changes to new and existing development:
57 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Utah calls
58 on municipalities and counties throughout the state to engage in meaningful conversations with
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59 all relevant stakeholders to ensure that their respective general plans include a substantive and
60 actionable water use and preservation element that is adopted or updated as soon as reasonably
61 possible.
62 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature expresses its urgent call for those
63 municipalities and counties who have not yet adopted water efficiency standards for new
64 construction, especially those located within the drainage of the Great Salt Lake, to
65 immediately begin the process of doing so.
66 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Utah League
67 of Cities and Towns, the Utah Association of Counties, and the following municipalities in the
68 Great Salt Lake Basin:
69 Alta Mapleton
70 Amalga Marriott-Slaterville
71 Bear River Mendon
72 Brigham City Millville
73 Brighton Mona
74 Cedar Fort Nephi
75 Charleston Newton
76 Clarkston North Ogden
77 Coalville Orem
78 Copperton Township Paradise
79 Corinne Perry
80 Cornish Plain City
81 Daniel Pleasant Grove
82 Deweyville Pleasant View
83 Elwood Plymouth
84 Erda City Portage
85 Fairfield Providence
86 Fielding Provo
87 Garden City Randolph
88 Garland Richmond
89 Genola River Heights
90 Goshen Rocky Ridge
91 Grantsville Rush Valley
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92 Harrisville Salem
93 Henefer Saratoga Springs
94 Hideout Snowville
95 Highland Springville
96 Honeyville Stockton
97 Hooper Tremonton
98 Howell Trenton
99 Huntsville Vernon
100 Hyrum Wallsburg
101 Independence Wellsville
102 Interlaken Wendover
103 Lake Point City West Point
104 Laketown Willard
105 Lewiston Woodland Hills
106 Logan Woodruff
107 Mantua
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