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IVINS, Washington County — The mayor of Ivins and members of the City Council say their hands have been tied by the Utah Legislature as far as being able to regulate how homes look in their community.
A piece of legislation that passed with little fanfare or opposition in the state Legislature in March – HB406, or Land Use, Development, and Management Act Modifications – prohibited cities from making rules on design elements of housing developments such as color, style of roof and exterior or fencing requirements.
While legislators and Gov. Spencer Cox said at the time the move was to reduce regulatory hurdles and allow for more needed housing to be built in the state, Ivins Mayor Chris Hart and members of the Ivins City Council say it is an affront to attempts to keep a certain aesthetic in their city.
Until now, Ivins has had rules that the exteriors of new homes couldn't be too bright and should go with the red mountain landscape. Other design requirements, city officials say, have played a role in giving the area its desert/adobe landscape look.
