Parowan — The Parowan City Council approved a subdivision open-space ordinance on Oct. 9, adopting a tiered approach that requires smaller open-space set-asides in low-density residential zones and larger set-asides in higher-density zones. The motion carried 4–1.

Council members debated two ordinance drafts presented by staff: one with a flat 3% open-space requirement across zones, and a second “tiered” draft that assigns A-1, R-1 and R-1A a 1.5% requirement, R-2 a 3% requirement and R-3 a 5% requirement. The council voted to adopt the tiered version.

Why it matters: council members split over the balance between reserving land for future public uses and the short- and long-term fiscal responsibility to maintain new open spaces. Supporters argued tiering protects the character of low-density neighborhoods while ensuring higher-density developments contribute more public land; opponents said the ordinance takes too much private land and could impose maintenance costs the city must shoulder.

Key details
- Ordinance identification: subdivision open-space ordinance (referenced as item 9 on the Oct. 9 agenda; ordinance number referenced in the record inconsistently; council stated an original draft was shown as 2025-15). The ordinance adopted the tiered percentages described above. The council directed staff to publish the final ordinance language in ordinance form.
- Vote tally: 4 ayes, 1 nay. Roll-call votes recorded: Sharon Downey — aye; John Dean — aye; David Harris — aye; Rochelle Topham — aye; David Burton — nay.
- Exemptions and in-lieu fees: both ordinance drafts include a fee-in-lieu option and an example fee calculator table. Staff told the council the per-acre land-value figures shown in the meeting materials are illustrative only; the city will adopt a formal land-value table and fee schedule by separate action. The in-lieu option is limited by parcel size (the draft set a threshold where in-lieu payments are not available for subdivisions above a certain acreage; staff referenced a 10-acre threshold in the example table).
- Bridal estate/rural estate zone: the draft exempted the rural/bridal-estate zone from open-space requirements in both versions.
- Appeals/appraisals: the ordinance provides that a developer who disputes the city’s land-value determination may submit an independent appraisal for review; the draft had debated whether final appraisal review should rest with the city council or the planning commission.

Council discussion and context
Council members repeatedly stressed that once land is developed it may not be recoverable for public uses like trails, playgrounds or future park sites. Supporters of the tiered approach said higher-density areas need proportionally more open space for children and public recreation; advocates for a higher uniform rate warned that low percentages risk losing long-term public benefit. Opponents focused on the cost of ongoing maintenance and on protecting private property rights.

Next steps and administration
Staff told the council they will prepare the ordinance in final form (including clarified language around thresholds and appeals), and separately bring a proposed fee schedule that establishes the per-acre land valuations used in the in-lieu calculator. Staff said they will research recent land sales and may consult a local realtor or appraiser to produce defensible values for the fee schedule.

Provenance
- Topic introduction (meeting transcript excerpt): staff presented two ordinance options — a tiered draft and a flat-rate draft — and showed an example fee-in-lieu calculator table (Oct. 9 agenda item 9 discussion).
- Topic finish (meeting transcript excerpt): council vote on the tiered ordinance and roll-call recorded (motion carried 4–1).

Speakers
- David Burton — Council member (spoke in opposition; recorded as the lone nay in the roll call)
- Sharon Downey — Council member (voted aye)
- John Dean — Council member (voted aye)
- David Harris — Council member (voted aye)
- Rochelle Topham — Council member (voted aye)
- Staff member Dan — staff presenting ordinance drafts and fee-calculator examples
- Staff member Kelly — supporting staff during presentation

Clarifying details
- Tiered percentages in the adopted draft: A-1/R-1/R-1A = 1.5%; R-2 = 3%; R-3 = 5%.
- Fee-in-lieu threshold: example materials referenced 10 acres as the upper limit for in-lieu options; example 8-acre calculation also appeared in staff materials. The staff repeatedly stated those numbers were illustrative and that the final per-acre values will be set in the city’s fee schedule by separate resolution.
- Bridal/rural estates: both drafts treated rural/bride-estate zones as exempt.

Community relevance
- Affected geographies: new subdivisions citywide; higher impact where annexations and higher-density housing are proposed (planning areas referenced during discussion).
- Impact groups: prospective developers, new-home buyers, current residents who will use or help maintain public open spaces.

Searchable tags
["open space","subdivision","land-use","fee-in-lieu","Parowan"]