Wasatch County leaders worry about future towns as Bear Canyon files revised application

Legislation from 2024 created a pilot program for preliminary municipalities in rural counties. It allows a small group of landowners or a developer to begin creating a town on mostly undeveloped land.

Utah law only allows two preliminary municipality applications to proceed each year. For 2026, both are in Wasatch County: Wasatch Highlands, east of Heber, and Bear Canyon, near the Utah County border.

County councilmembers said at a meeting Wednesday, June 3, they’re worried about how the development tool could change the region’s rural character.

Councilmember Mark Nelson asked whether state lawmakers wanted to give developers a way to bypass local government.

“Do you think that this bill was created with the idea in mind that the municipalities surrounding this would not agree with the creation of this?” he said.

County Manager Dustin Grabau said part of the rationale behind the program was the governor’s desire for more housing and an “unashamedly pro-growth” mindset among lawmakers.

“I think they view this as one of the tools that they have created to facilitate additional growth,” he said. “And I think, as counties, our natural state – at least for us – is one of preservation.”

That clash of values has county leaders asking how to work with state lawmakers to revise the rules for forming towns.

“This is specifically usurping your land use authority, and you are absolutely going to inherit the problems that this creates, and we have a lot of reservations about that,” Grabau said. “I think we could have conversations with state legislators about additional tweaks to the bill.”

Councilmember Spencer Park said there should be better ways to meet the state’s housing goals.

“This was brought to you [lawmakers] on the premise of affordable housing,” he said. “Now we feel like that’s a Trojan horse for a lot of bills that don’t make any sense.”

The county council plans to meet with state representatives to discuss environmental and infrastructure concerns related to the law.

Meanwhile, Wasatch Highlands and Bear Canyon remain in early stages of the incorporation process.

A population study found Wasatch Highlands could have about 2,200 residents when fully constructed.

Bear Canyon had to resubmit its paperwork because too many landowners were included in its first application. It filed revised plans with the Utah lieutenant governor’s office May 8.