By Shanna Francis
During the last couple of months, Ogden Valley incorporation efforts had been in a “holding pattern,” waiting for behind-the-scenes statutory processes to unfold through the Lt. Governor’s (LG) Office in conjunction with independent feasibility consultants LRB and Weber County.
As a result of LRB’s recent incorporation feasibility analysis, the state recommended that sponsors revise their map to remove certain state and federal lands. In addition, in the month of February, Huntsville approved a number of annexations that affected the boundary of the previously proposed Ogden Valley city map. These two events, in accordance with state law, required that OV incorporation sponsors update the boundary map and LRB complete a modified feasibility study. That study is currently being finalized and is expected to be issued in early May. Once the modified feasibility study is officially released, the LG’s Office will schedule the second and final community meeting. Similar to the first public meeting, the LG’s Office and LRB will provide an overview of the incorporation process and the (modified) feasibility study. The date for this meeting is still to be determined by the state.
For 30 days after the first public meeting, which was hosted by the LG’s Office on January 30, property owners had the opportunity to opt out of the proposed new city. To successfully opt out, state law requires that a proposed excluded property has to be worth at least 1% of the assessed value of private land within the proposed incorporation area ($39.8M) or consist of at least 10% of the total private land within the incorporation area (3,582 acres). No one who requested to opt out of the newly proposed town met the criteria.
On another matter, the LG’s Office has now posted on their website the answers to the questions posed at the first public meeting held in January 2024. To review these questions and answers, please visit ltgovernor.utah.gov/incorporations/ and scroll down to “Ogden Valley.” The slides that were presented at the public meeting by both LRB and the LG’s Office can be found at ogdenvalleyinc.org.
For more information about the Ogden Valley incorporation effort, or to sign up to receive update notices, please visit ogdenvalleyinc.org where you can also find a new blog site.
The next step in the incorporation process will be an announcement by the LG’s Office of the mandated second public meeting to be held in Ogden Valley, which will be similar in format to the first one held at Snowcrest Jr. High earlier this year. After this second meeting, incorporation sponsors will begin collecting signatures to place the question of incorporation on the November 2024 general election ballot. With 51% of voters in Ogden Valley voting in favor of incorporation, the community will then proceed to elect its new municipal leadership during the following months.
For more information, please visit ogdenvalleyinc.org or call incorporation sponsor Mark Ferrin at 801-745-0445