UTL'S Public Policy Action Committee

​Agenda and such:

​

1. ​Housing Affordability!!

   1. ​SB 23 - First Home Investment Zone Amendments

      1. ​The bill refines the definition of “affordable housing” to include: For non-owner-occupied homes: housing for households with gross incomes at or below 80% of the county median gross income for similar household sizes. For owner-occupied homes: housing priced at 80% of the county median home price. Alternatively, for owner-occupied homes, housing priced at 80% of the zip code median home price. 

      2. ​The term “extraterritorial home” is defined as a dwelling unit that:  Is located within the municipality proposing the first home investment zone but outside its boundary, Is part of a development with a density of at least six units per acre, Is not situated within an existing housing and transit reinvestment zone or an area eligible for such a zone, and has not been issued a building permit by the municipality as of the proposal date. 

      3. ​The bill clarifies that for a first home investment zone at least 50% of the dwelling units within the zone must be owner-occupied and "extraterritorial homes" can be included in calculating the density and owner-occupancy percentages. 

      4. ​By refining the definition of affordable housing and allowing the use of zip code median home prices, the bill aims to make homeownership more attainable in various regions. The inclusion of extraterritorial homes in density and occupancy calculations provides municipalities with greater flexibility in meeting housing goals and encourages higher-density developments. Mandating that a significant portion of units be owner-occupied supports community stability and investment.

   2. ​HB 37 - Utah Housing Amendments

      1. ​A density overlay is a zoning tool that allows local governments to increase the allowable housing density in specific areas without changing the base zoning designation. It enables higher-density development (like townhomes, apartments, or mixed-use buildings) in targeted locations to encourage more efficient land use and affordable housing development. They sit “on top” of existing zoning laws and modify certain rules to allow for greater housing density in specific areas.

      2. ​The bill aims to address affordable housing challenges by allowing for higher-density residential development in certain areas. Encouraging higher-density development promotes more efficient use of land resources, which is particularly beneficial in urban areas with limited space. The bill authorizes municipalities and counties to implement density overlays, providing local governments with tools to manage growth and development effectively.

   3. ​HB 88 & 90

      1. ​88 - The bill designates a single internal or external ADU on a lot with a detached single-family dwelling as a permitted use in residential zones. It restricts municipalities from imposing larger setback requirements on external ADUs than those for single-family dwellings, unless necessary for safety and agreed upon by adjacent neighbors. The bill prohibits urban municipalities from banning modular units in residential zones.

      2. ​90 - Defines an “urban municipality” as a municipality located within a county of the first or second class. In urban municipalities, a detached single-family dwelling constructed on a lot of at least 4,000 square feet is designated as a permitted use in residential zones. Housing developments are recognized as permitted uses within commercial zones of urban municipalities. By allowing single-family homes on smaller lots and permitting residential developments in commercial zones, the bill aims to enhance housing availability and diversity in urban areas.

   4. ​HB 360 - Housing Attainability Amendments

      1. ​The bill proposes changes to zoning regulations to make it easier for developers to build affordable housing units. It offers incentives to encourage developers to include affordable housing in their projects, such as tax breaks or reduced fees, expedited permit processing, grants and subsidies.

   5. ​HB 398 - Auxiliary Housing Amendments

      1. ​This bill changes the legal definition of a primary dwelling to simply "detached", ending the detached and occupied as the primary residence of the owner requirements. It prevents municipalities from making owner-occupancy of the primary dwelling a requirement, and allows ADU's to be rented out.

2. ​New Business 

   1. ​Topic for next week - Regulatory Reform (so sexy)

      1. ​Social Media

      2. ​Data Privacy

      3. ​AI Regulation