With recently passed HB 323 and HB 219 county general plans now requires every county to address natural resources on federal public lands. To accomplish this Utah County needs to have a Resource Management Plan (RMP). The county is looking for resident input to help them author the RMP. To help facilitate this, the County Commissioners selected, the consulting firm Rural Community Consultants to complete the RPM. They are currently helping 11 other counties to fulfill the new State mandate. The Legislature appropriated funds to help the counties pay for design, and plan implementation. To help collect data a website has been setup to allow the residents of Eagle Mountain to give input on how natural resources will be used in the RPM.
The website utahcountyplan.org has been setup to residents to give surveys on Agriculture, Air Quality, Ditches & Canals, Economic Considerations, Energy Resources, Fire Management, Fisheries, Flood Plains & River Terraces, Forest Management, Irrigation, Land Access, Land Use, Law Enforcement, Livestock & Grazing, Mineral Resources, Mining, Noxious Weeds, Predator Control, Recreation & Tourism, Riparian Areas, Threatened Endangered & Sensitive Species, Water Quality & Hydrology, Water Rights, Wetlands, Wild & Scenic Rivers, Wilderness, and Wildlife.
The County held an open house on Feb 9th at the County Offices. If you still wish to provide input, you can visit the site and answer the surveys. Shannon Ellsworth from Rural Community Consultants explains the next steps, “Residents of the county have until March 1 to answer the surveys. When the surveys are complete we will analyze and summarize the data, and include relevant data points in the resource management plan.”
Shannon continues with an explanation of their role going forward. “Our role going forward is to analyze data and develop policy suggestions, then incorporate it into the (first draft) resource management plan that we wrote. When the second draft is complete we will work with the planning commission to adjust anything they think needs to change, they will take public comment before they are done. Then the planning commission will make a recommendation of approval to the County commission, who will have an opportunity to take public comment and adopt the resource management plan into the county general plan.”
Additional Resources:
Utah County Resource Plan website
Rural Community Consultants website
Mike Kieffer – Editor-in-Chief, Cedar Valley Sentinel
Mike Kieffer is a dynamic leader and community advocate based in Eagle Mountain, Utah. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Cedar Valley Sentinel, a local publication dedicated to informing, inspiring, and elevating the Cedar Valley community through honest and accurate journalism. With a passion for fostering connections, Kieffer has made it his mission to highlight local businesses, provide reliable news, and support community development.
Beyond his editorial role, Kieffer is the owner of Lake Mountain Media, LLC, a company specializing in media and communications, and the co-owner of Quail Run Farms, which focuses on sustainable farming and community engagement. He also actively contributes to the local economy and culture as a member of the Eagle Mountain Chamber of Commerce.
Kieffer’s dedication extends to preserving and promoting the history and heritage of the Cedar Valley area. He often participates in community-centered events and media, including podcasts that explore the unique aspects of life in the region. Through his varied endeavors, he remains a steadfast advocate for the growth and enrichment of the local community.