Resident requested changes likely to require a council sponsor for action
Mar 02, 2026 02:00PM ● By Travis Barton
Under current code, a property owner could initiate a request to amend land use code, but officials plan to change it so residents would require a councilmember sponsor. (File photo City Journals)
Residents wishing to change city code will soon need a councilmember to cosponsor the request to initiate a possible amendment.
City Attorney Todd Sheeran told the Herriman City Council during a January council meeting that staff had internal discussions about what they felt was a hazy section of city code which allows property owners to initiate a change to land use code.
It the city’s Title 10 of land use, it currently says property owners, planning commission members and councilmembers can initiate an amendment to the city code.
“We thought this was overly broad for a property owner to initiate a text amendment when there is no support at a staff level or council level,” Sheeran said.
He said residents may have appropriate and legitimate changes to make, but they should have an elected official on board with their proposal.
City Manager Nathan Cherpeski added it would save staff on time and resources.
“Our goal would be to steer them back to their elected representative to make sure there’s some support so we don’t go spend thousands of dollars of city staff time on something we know isn’t going to go anywhere,” he said.
Any agenda item for the council to address requires two councilmembers’ support. Under this change, a councilmember who sponsors the request would need to approach a second member for city staff to begin any work or research.
Cherpeski said one benefit could be finding the issue actually applies city wide.
The council agreed with the change.
“That’s the way it should be right, is that we represent those people,” Councilmember Jared Henderson said. “It’s a legislative item. We’re the legislative body.”
City staff’s preference seemed to be residents going through the councilmember in their district, but there was hesitation in making it too specific.
“I wouldn’t want to limit it,” Councilmember Terrah Anderson said. “In case you have a poor relationship with your councilmember.”
Sheeran said staff would return with codified language for the council to consider at an unspecified date.
