State of Utah incorporation process:
- A contiguous area not within a municipality may incorporate
- Request feasibility study from the Lt. Governor:
- Describe proposed area for town
- Include accurate map by licensed surveyor
- Five signers as sponsors, one primary
Lt. Gov Feasibility study:
- Bluff Community selects consultant from recommended list
- Consultant completes and submits study to Lt. Governor
Study Considerations:
- Population and density
- Surrounding area
- Five-year projections of demographics and economics
- Proposed town: household size, industrial and commercial development
- Projected five-year growth
- Five-year projection of cost
- Proposed governmental services (complete list available - following are examples)
- Law enforcement
- Fire protection
- Roads and public works
- Garbage
- Culinary water
- Sewer
- Secondary water
- Government offices
- Noxious weeds
- (No proposed change in Bluff requested services)
- Projection of revenue and expenses based on services requested
- If five-year revenues exceed five-year expenses by more that 10%
- We may move forward to a public hearing
Public Hearing:
- Posted in newspaper, on websites, legal notices- 45 days or less
- Map of boundaries
- Results of study
- Public comment
- File for incorporation with certified petition
General Election:
- General election is held.
- A majority of registered voters in proposed area voting in favor means Bluff will be incorporated
Simply going through the checklist a few things stood out to me as important things that Bluff may want to place higher priorities on:
- Feasibility study - needs to ensure that all costs and financial obligations will be met with an undeniable level of certainty. Including fire, roads, law enforcement, garbage, culinary water, sewer, and government offices. As well as viable five-year projected "growth" and future leadership.
- Proposed area for town - needs to be validated and have unquestionable ability to be maintained.
In solidifying all the needed information for these two pieces success of the future incorporated Bluff.