Heber Valley resident Joe Coombs and several others spoke out against preliminary municipalities at a public hearing Oct. 27.
“I believe in every war in 1776 for things like this,” Coombs said at the event in Wasatch High School's auditorium. He was referring to the controversial 2024 law allowing landowners to form a town on undeveloped land on the promise of building new homes.
Philo Development is in the process of incorporating Wasatch Highlands east of Heber after failing to annex into Heber or win Wasatch County’s approval.
“This is like they went to mom, she said no. Went to dad, he said no. They went to grandpa, who is a senile,” Coombs added. “And the state is senile.”
No one who spoke was in favor of Wasatch Highlands, which would be 2,700 acres and include more than 700 homes, a hotel, glamping, shopping and open space.
Opponents have concerns about water, traffic and local control.
Wasatch County, Summit County, and the town of Wallsburg have called on the Legislature to repeal the preliminary municipality law.
Wasatch County’s government has also filed court papers in support of a Moab lawsuit that claims preliminary municipalities are unconstitutional.
And numerous politicians running for state and Wasatch County offices spoke out against the law at the Oct. 27 hearing, to round after round of applause.
Cindy Cossairt, who lives near Wasatch Highlands’ proposed boundaries, praised the turnout.
“The praise is: This is election season, and we have gathered both Democrats and Republicans that are all not in favor of this,” she said.
Heber City Councilmember Yvonne Barney said countless residents in the valley will be impacted if Philo follows through with its town.
“In order to get both sides of the coin to come in and stand unified tells you everything we need to know about this bill,” Barney said. “It doesn't work. It’s communist.”
Proponents of the developer-led towns, on the other hand, say they protect private property rights.
A developer proposing a similar town in Summit County recently wrote to state legislators that “property owners should have access to a workable [preliminary municipality] process” if counties don’t “engage in good faith.”
Developer Greg Whitehead told KPCW Wednesday Philo looks forward to working with the family that owns the Wasatch Highlands land as well as “the broader community.”
“We strive to deliver quality developments that all stakeholders can be proud of, and we carefully consider all feedback to implement suggestions whenever possible,” Whitehead wrote in an email.
Unlike ordinary town incorporations, nobody votes on preliminary municipalities. The developer also gets control over the planning and zoning process, without a county’s say-so.
The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office hosted Tuesday's public hearing. State law says that’s the office that will ultimately decide if Wasatch Highlands can incorporate.
Philo Development has one year to finalize its application. Whitehead said the company hasn’t yet decided whether to move forward.
