Washington County meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Washington County roundup: Rezonings, contracts, and habitat plans on the agenda

All recent Washington County government meetings were agenda-only, with minutes not yet published, so no final decisions are available. The most consequential items on the table include two property rezonings and a series of contracts before the County Commission, plus multiple zone changes and permits before the Planning Commission.

County Commission

The County Commission met August 18 with a consent agenda and 16 regular items. The commission considered two property rezonings: one at Holt Canyon Road from A-20 to A-10 (applicant: Runway Ranch LLC) and one at 200 W. 1600 N. Kolob from OST-20 to SFR-1 (applicant: staff and Teresa Turner).

Also on the agenda were a contract with Brett Ryan for social media coordination services (R-2026-3806), award of a bid and contract for the Desert Color NICA Project (R-2026-3808), and a grant agreement with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food for predation management (R-2026-3812). The meeting also included appointments to boards, a search and rescue report, and purchase requests.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission held a regular meeting on August 11 with public hearings and administrative reviews. Public hearings were scheduled for two zone changes:

• A 3.10-acre parcel along the eastern shoreline of Kolob Reservoir (1040-C-1-A-HV) from OST-20 to SFR-1, applicant Teresa S. Turner.
• A 17.50-acre parcel west of Enterprise (7070-A-1-A-2-NC) from A-20 to A-10, applicant James Jessop.

A separate public hearing was also set for a zone change from A-20 to A-5 for a 7.07-acre parcel near Central (7090-A-3-NW), applicant John Littell.

Administrative items included a conditional use permit for a pavilion on the Kolob parcel (Teresa Turner), a conditional use permit for a pre-fab communication building in Leeds (UTOPIA, Mike Stephenson), and a hillside development permit for 798.01 acres east of New Harmony (Dusty Pulsipher).

Habitat Conservation Plan

The Habitat Conservation Plan Technical Committee met on August 19 to consider conservation options for habitat islands and fragmented desert tortoise populations. The committee also received an update on the Northern Corridor Record of Decision and lawsuit, as well as Zone 6 fencing and recreation planning. Minutes from June 10, 2026, were approved.

Board vacancy

On August 21, the County Commission announced it is accepting applications to fill one vacancy on the Dixie Deer Special Service District Administrative Control Board. The term runs through December 31, 2027. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and registered voters in the district. Applications are due September 21, 2026, to Sarah Lloyd at the Washington County Commission Office, with the appointment made in a public meeting after the deadline.

Coming up

The Habitat Conservation Plan's Land Acquisition Subcommittee will meet on August 26 to review current reserve inholdings, the completion of a Section 6 land exchange, the status of LWCF applications, and a Section 6 grant update for FY25. The agenda is routine, with no public hearings or major decisions listed.

Washington County authorizes up to $50 million in bonds for airport and Dixie Center improvements

The Washington County Commission voted July 15 to authorize up to $50,000,000 in sales tax revenue bonds to fund expansion of the St. George Regional Airport and improvements to the Dixie Center. The estimated total cost of principal and interest is $97,573,250, with a maximum interest rate of 6.0% per annum over a term of up to 30 years. The bonds will be repaid using transient room tax and tourism, recreation, cultural, convention, and airport facilities tax revenues.

Bond details

The resolution covers two projects: the Airport Expansion Project at St. George Regional Airport and the purchase, improvement, and expansion of the Dixie Center. The bond issuance is capped at $50,000,000. The commission's July 14 agenda had flagged the item for consideration, and the July 15 action authorized the bonds. Minutes for both meetings have not yet been published.

Land use and zoning

The Washington County Land Use Authority met July 14 to review several land use items, including a concept plan for Furrow Springs, a 180-unit apartment development on 12.15 acres near Hurricane. The Planning Commission also held a public hearing on a proposed zone change for a 2.4-acre parcel at approximately 2751 E Bench Road in the Enterprise Ranchos subdivision, which would rezone parcel ER-3-15-NC from A-20 (Residential Agricultural, 20-acre minimum) to RA-1 (Residential Agricultural, 1-acre minimum). The applicant is Clay Covington.

Other items before the Planning Commission included a conditional use permit for a 47-foot-tall single-family home at 8766 N 1900 W in Diamond Valley, and a public hearing on miscellaneous revisions to Title 10, including proposed amendments related to agritourism, a rural tourism zone, signage, and an outdoor tourism overlay zone.

The County Commission also addressed the 2751 E Bench Road rezoning from RA-20 to RA-1, along with ordinances amending Title 8 Chapter 5 on the transient room tax and sign regulations in C-2 and C-3 zones.

Other commission actions

The July 14 commission agenda included a resolution approving a fencing agreement with Tonaquint Ridge, Inc. for tortoise exclusion fencing, along with numerous resolutions on grants, agreements, and property conveyances. Presentations were scheduled on Kolob Reservoir, employee longevity, and a new K9. The regularly scheduled July 7 commission meeting was rescheduled to July 14.

Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee

On July 22, the Washington County Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee discussed the rescission of the "harm" definition under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The committee also reviewed the status of the Northern Corridor and Zone 6 development, and heard updates on utility projects including a Middleton waterline break repair, a water tank project on Cottonwood Road, and a TDS line repair near Pioneer Park.

Coming up

• **August 5 — Clerk/Auditor (proposed tax increase notice):** Washington County has issued a notice regarding a proposed tax increase. The notice references Hildale City and Toquerville City. Details of the proposal are expected on the upcoming agenda.