ST. GEORGE — A recent change to zoning regulations in Hildale has stirred some concern that this could lead to an overabundance of resorts in the city. City leaders say this is not the case and that they don’t want to create a “resort community.”
On Thursday, the Hildale City Council unanimously agreed to revise its recreational zoning regulations. The changes include a reduction in the minimum acreage required for resort development from 5 to 3.5 acres and a decrease in the allowable number of units per acre from 15 to 8, resulting in a maximum of 28 units on a 3.5-acre parcel.
Councilman Jvar Duston made the motion for the amendment, adding his thoughts on the pros and cons.
“I’m willing to go 3.5 … and not willing to go anything less than that,” Duston said. “At 3.5 people will have a big enough piece that they can make a nice resort. We’ve had enough debate on this, but I am trying to make it so that we work with our people.”
The process to amend the city code commenced on Jan. 22, when Hildale resident “Richard” Lee Barlow approached the planning and zoning commission with a proposal for a text amendment to the Hildale City code. This amendment aimed to reduce the minimum acreage required to develop recreational resorts.
On March 21, a public hearing was conducted by the Planning and Zoning Commission, during which two objections to the amendment were submitted.
Following the public hearing, the commission convened for its regular session to deliberate on issues such as density, neighborhood impacts and the distinctions and parallels between short-term rentals and recreational resort zones.
After the meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission decided in a narrow 3-2 majority – with commissioners Rex Jessop and Thirkle Nielsen casting the dissenting votes and Commissioner Lawrence Stubbs absent – to suggest changes to planning and zoning regulations regarding future resort development to the Hildale City Council for its consideration.
At the time the recommendation was made by planning and zoning it sought to lower the minimum acreage for future resort developments from 5 acres to 2 acres with a maximum density of eight units per acre.
The amendment, as passed, was specific to recreational resort zoning and maintains existing site plan stipulations, including fire lanes and other safety measures. Moreover, any new structures must adhere to the development standards established under current city code.
Councilman Brigham Holm agreed with his colleague’s reasoning.
“We’ve got to do something about the text the way it is right now, but we don’t want big resorts,” Holm said. “We don’t want this to become a resort community, but I want a solution either way. That’s where I stand.”
Mayor Donia Jessop emphasized before the vote that the measure was not a rezone for a recreational resort at this time but rather a “simple” amendment to the existing planning and zoning code regulations.
“If someone ever chooses to (establish) a recreational resort, they will have to (request) a rezone and in the rezone that’s where the devil’s in the details,” Jessop said.
The existing text was codified in 2018. Before the recent amendment, no recreational resorts had been applied for, approved or developed in Hildale under the former 5-acre minimum requirement.
City Manager Eric Duthie said the City Council was not currently being asked to approve any specific project. However, the proposed text amendment would alter the legal requirements as opposed to the requests of individual project developers.
Jessop once more attempted to alleviate the concerns of numerous Hildale residents present at the meeting who were apprehensive about the potential influx of resorts in their city.
All requests would require the City Council to approve rezoning of individual properties, Jessop said.
“But we also do not want a recreational resort town … there still is so much (that goes) into this, but there is a lot of misinformation going out,” she added.
Jessop said the purpose of the text amendment is not to rubber stamp approval of future development but rather to refine existing legislation that more accurately represents the trajectory of Hildale’s growth.
“We will be talking a lot more, if and when, someone comes in for a rezone, then we will really talk about that,” Jessop said.
The code amendment is designed to steer future development across Hildale.
Barlow, the owner of approximately 4.2 acres of developed land at 985 N. Juniper St., has submitted a site plan for a recreational resort at this location. This proposal is part of the process to revise the planning and zoning text, which the City Council has now approved.
Barlow is now seeking a zone change for his property, a request that must navigate the political and regulatory landscape. Should the property be rezoned and developed in line with the site plan, it will occupy a significantly smaller footprint than currently permitted by the code.
In an exclusive interview with St. George News, Barlow addressed what he said was misinformation regarding his involvement in the planning and zoning text amendment, as well as the development plans for his property.
“Moving forward, my intent is to change the zone from residential/agriculture to resort/recreation, but to do it in such a way that it keeps the development very small and perfectly appropriate for the area,” Barlow said. “I picked the location because it’s on the edge of town and not in the middle of a residential neighborhood.”
To assuage fears Barlow said his development is not designed to become a gigantic resort community. In reality, he said, it will be “well below the density cap” established by the City Council. When finished, Barlow anticipates having no more than three – possibly four – units per acre.
Allegations have been made that Barlow is an out-of-town land developer seeking to make a buck. Nothing could be farther from the truth, he said.
“I was born in Hildale and grew up there. These are my friends and neighbors. I went to school with them,” Barlow said. “I spent time away during my enlistment in the Army, and right now, I’m temporarily renting in St. George in order for one of my boys to go to school there, but I still own a house in Hildale. My heart and soul is there.”
Despite his detractors, Barlow embraces the city’s direction.
“We really have to start grappling with these kinds of decisions,” he said. “Within this particular situation it’s so good to have accurate information being pushed out. For decades (Hildale) was a closed society, and everybody acted based on what they were told from the (Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints). This wasn’t healthy for a society, and I think now that that control has ended there’s still a lot of this mindset lingering on.”
Barlow said he realizes everyone has specific “goals and dreams” in life. While some push for progress and improved job prospects, others desire to maintain the city’s traditional character.
“However, the crucial aspect is that all neighbors collaborate respectfully, striving to fulfill each other’s wishes to the greatest extent possible,” he said.
Things will change over time, he added.
“Things will be built, and that’s where the city needs to do its job in determining what things are appropriate and in what areas of town. … I think it’s completely fair to say there needs to be a careful balance reached,” he said. “Any town that says they only want small homes and just local residents – and nothing else – is going to have a failing economy.”
Conversely, Barlow is not aiming to develop a town filled with large resorts. He supports a “small ball” strategy for growth, advocating for deliberate and measured development led by city officials rather than aggressive expansion driven by property developers aiming to maximize profits.
“At some point, you just can’t grow endlessly,” he said. “If there are not the correct utilities or not enough water and other services it’s something the city will have to decide how to address before they issue building permits.”
In his effort to contribute to a flourishing community, Barlow plans to hire approximately five full-time and five part-time employees for his resort. This is in addition to the 10 employees already working at his renowned business, Zion EcoCabin. The emerging entrepreneur takes pride in his endeavors toward progress.
“Hildale is a fun town to live in,” Barlow said. “I want to work as hard as I can to find balance, but we’ve got to have local jobs and affordable housing, or we run the risk of creating a failing town.”
Bearing this in mind, the City Council’s actions on Thursday also aimed to streamline existing legislation while aligning with the city’s goals to expand Hildale’s tax base.
“I firmly believe this is good policy,” Councilman Luke Merideth said.
A proposed development should be “harmonious” with the character of the existing neighborhood or intended location, Merideth said, adding that development must also consider the potential adverse effects on neighboring properties and ensure the adequacy of city facilities, including water and sewer lines, roadways, schools and first responders’ protection and access.
“Without (these) things, we don’t have the tax base to support any growth, to support some services that we need … things that we would really like to have in the city,” Merideth said. “We don’t have (the) money, so we need to have opportunities to mix a little business into Hildale, carefully. We are never going to have 50,000 people like Hurricane currently has and … growing. I don’t know that 5 acres is … right for us … (but) it’s worthy to consider something smaller.”
Around 20 comments, representing roughly 1% of Hildale’s population, have reportedly voiced their objections to the proposed regulatory change.
Marylou Lane, a prominent critic, expressed her objections during an interview with St. George News.
“I’ve been out there busting it. Digging into this to make sure we know all the insides, upsides and downsides. I want transparency,” Lane said. “I want integrity. I want honesty. With this change, the city can pretty much dropkick recreational resorts all over town and turn Hildale into something we don’t want.”
Lane is now worried her hometown will become a mishmash of resorts sprinkled throughout residential neighborhoods.
Addressing the City Council prior to its vote, Lane said, “We voted for you guys in good faith that you would hear our voices. I really don’t want to live in a recreational resort town. I love the home feel here, and that’s what I want to keep.”
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