Developer Deliverance: Changes to Development Rules

I am currently on the Hill working on Legislative issues.  One of the committees I sit on is called the Political Subdivisions committee.  It sounds like a bland name but it deals with all kinds of fun issues that address our democratic system and the function of "subdivisions" (i.e. cities and counties) of the State. 

Today we heard a bill in committee by a Representative from Kaysville.  Under current law, cities and counties have the right to change the specifications required on asphalt depth, street width, curb width, and other infrastructure specifications as they see fit.  Unfortunately, this poses a problem when a developer purchases land, begins development and then has the city change the specifications mid-stream.e

The bill we heard today eliminates this as a possibility and fixes the specifications that are required for a development when the development starts.   You would think that this was the law already.  It is not.  Due to the length of time it takes to complete developments, some contractors were running into issues with this. 

Fortunately, it passed out of our committee unanimously and will go to the House floor for a vote.  This should create a more predictable environment for developers and cities to work together.