Plans for West Hills, a proposed Summit County town west of Kamas, have been in the works since real estate attorney Derek Anderson filed the initial paperwork in April 2023.
In the three years since, the proposal has gone through an array of public hearings, boundary revisions and court cases.
The Utah Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday, July 2, puts the town’s proposed incorporation on the ballot for the 2026 general election, the final step before West Hills could become a reality.
The high court’s decision settles a dispute between Anderson and a handful of landowners, who were added to the town’s boundaries after the opportunity to opt out had passed.
Those individuals argued it was illegal to allow certain landowners, but not others, to request to be excluded from the town.
A 3rd District judge sided with the group in October 2025. But the Supreme Court reached the opposite conclusion, saying state law must draw the line somewhere.
“A time-based line is inherently arbitrary on some level, but that does not make it unreasonable,” it wrote.
Justices concluded the cutoff point is important because it gives “sponsors and opponents certainty and time to prepare for the incorporation election.”
And, they added, the election itself is “the ultimate safeguard,” letting voters decide whether the town should go forward.
In a statement, Anderson applauded the ruling.
“This is a victory for regular landowners, individual property rights and self-governance,” he said.
Janet Conway, an attorney representing the group of landowners, said in a statement, “We are disappointed with the ruling and are considering our options and next steps.”
With the court’s ruling, West Hills will be up for a vote in November. To proceed with incorporation, it must receive majority support from those within the proposed town boundaries.
