Farmington's Site Plan Architecture Review Committee no longer exists.

The City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 1, passed Ordinance 2026-37, stripping all references to the committee, known as SPARC, from the city's zoning code. The ordinance also rewrites the rules governing the Planning Commission, the body that reviews every development application in the city.

The changes took effect upon passage. Mayor Brett Anderson signed the ordinance, and City Recorder DeAnn Carlile attested it.

What changed for the Planning Commission

The ordinance shifts the power to remove a Planning Commission member from the mayor to the City Council. Under the old code, the mayor could remove a member with or without cause. The new rules limit removal to four specific grounds: misusing public funds for political purposes, violating the Municipal Officers' and Employees' Ethics Act, acting to create impermissible bias in a land use decision, or a finding of censure by the commission itself.

The ordinance also adds a protection: a commissioner cannot be removed for discussing a pending land use application with city staff, an elected official or the applicant during a commission meeting.

Term limits loosened as well. Previously, members could be reappointed for one successive term. The updated language allows reappointment for successive terms with no cap.

The seven-member commission keeps its structure. The mayor still appoints members with council consent, and terms remain four years, staggered. Two alternate members may serve one-year terms and be reappointed each year.

New transparency and voting rules

Planning Commission meetings must now follow updated public notice requirements. The commission must post its annual meeting schedule at least once a year and give at least 24 hours' notice of each meeting's agenda, date, time and place. Notices go to Farmington City Offices, the city website, the Utah Public Notice Website and, when feasible, social media.

The city planner must mail notice to all property owners within 300 feet of affected property before any required public hearing. That rule applies to zoning map changes and planned unit developments.

Commissioners must now recuse themselves from any land use application that poses a conflict of interest significant enough to influence a reasonable person's decision.

Four members constitute a quorum. Four concurring votes are needed to overturn any administrative decision or rule in favor of an appellant.

The old "Rules of Order" section was deleted entirely and replaced with a new "Policies and Procedures" section. Any procedures the commission adopts now require City Council approval before taking effect.

How it got here

The Farmington Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed changes on July 16 at City Hall, 160 S. Main St. The commission recommended approval, according to the ordinance's preamble.

The Sept. 1 council meeting also included a joint work session with the Planning Commission featuring land use training from Attorney Steve Noel, per the meeting agenda.

No individual council vote tally was available in the published ordinance or agenda.

The Planning Commission meets the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7 p.m. at 160 S. Main St. The next meeting falls on Thursday, Sept. 3.