Planning and Zoning
The Town of Manila Planning and Zoning board is continually working to improve and preserve the lifestyle of our community. Meetings are held on the first Monday of every month in the town hall’s meeting room. The community is welcome and encouraged to attend these meetings and for more information please contact the Planning and Zoning Secretary at 435-784-3143 or use our contact page.
In accordance with the American Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations should notify the Town Clerk at 435-784-3143 at least 24 hours before the meeting to ensure needs are appropriately addressed.
Members of the Planning & Zoning board include:
William Rylander – Chairman
Dennis Andelin– Vice Chairman
Rod Alexander
Jason Kuhn
Brian Nelson
Chandra Brady – Secretary
Manila’s dedication to the future through smart growth planning and unified infrastructure systems continues to grow. This is evident in the Mayor, Staff, and Town Board’s actions over the last few years. The base of this plant grows from the Town’s General Plan and several goals set into motion before, during, and after the General Plan process. Beyond simply looking for improvements to planning and economics, Manila continues to look for global solutions in all Town departments.
Even though tourism plays possibly the most significant economic role within the Town limits, we recognize the benefits of preserving open space, agricultural lands, and our lifestyle of the rural west. Open space and working agricultural lands provide habitat for wildlife, help to protect air and water quality, prevent flooding, provide scenic views, maintain the rural character of communities, and act as a physical barrier to rural sprawl, which threatens rural communities across the west. Though all agricultural lands are currently outside the town limits, their adjacent location requires careful planning and awareness. As the Town limits grow and as development continues within Manila, open space will be required to preserve wildlife corridors, wetland drainage, future trail systems, and the overall character of our rural community.
Future developments are required to follow the guidance of the General Plan. This is to ensure that public lands, agricultural property, ridgelines, nighttime skylines, important view sheds, wildlife corridors, wetland drainage, and western rural lifestyles are preserved and not compromised for density or developments which bring only short-term sustainability. Further, growth and new products will now be required to look at impacts on public utilities, fire control, infrastructure systems, economic contributions, and all aspects of smart growth planning as laid out in the General Plan and by our planning staff.
Growth and development are important elements of any rural community. Proper management and smart growth practices are in fact considered more vital to a rural community than in a large urban environment. Sprawl, conflicting economic ventures, infrastructure expenses, hillside development, poor roadside/community maintenance, and code enforcement all have much greater impacts on a rural community than in larger areas which can absorb these constraints with minimal impact on residents and visitors. For the past few years, Manila has been improving our smart growth practices through community planning which includes functionality and lifestyle impacts of new developments. We welcome these properly planned improvements with an understanding they don’t sacrifice our rural character and existing beauty found throughout the town and the entire Lucerne Valley. Feel free to contact us or drop by Town Hall for more information on community development in the area.
Updated Zoning Ordinance
This document is an amended Zoning Ordinance for the Town of Manila, Utah, dividing the incorporated area of the Town into Zoning districts appropriate for various classes of residential, business, and industrial uses. It also provides for the establishment of land development standards and requirements.
The purpose of these regulations is to promote and protect public health, safety, and welfare; to encourage the harmonious, orderly, and progressive development of land; to ensure the development of economically sound and compatible neighborhoods; to require the construction of necessary improvements and utilities; to ensure safe and convenient circulation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic; to ensure that parks, open spaces, school sites, and land needed for other public purpose are either reserved or dedicated; to ensure development is in accordance with the requirements of the Town’s General Plan as such may be amended from time to time; and to ensure that new development bears its fair share of the costs of providing improvements and services necessitated by, or resulting from, the development of subdivisions.
Wildlife Sensitive Planning
Our Wildlife Corridors Map as recognized by the Town leaders shows the main areas of migration or desired migration for Mule Deer, Red Tailed Fox, and other friendly animals of the community. It could easily be argued that the entire town boundaries are home to several forms of wildlife throughout the year. Obviously as the season winds down, population levels decrease and the winter chill settles upon the Uintas, more wildlife look to the Town and adjacent lands for a winter haven.