Current Ivins Issues

  • Wells Get By With A Little Help From…
    A 1993 report, titled “Utah State Water Plan: Kanab Creek/Virgin River Basin,” highlighted a critical challenge: “In general, irrigation water needs exceed supply. This accents the need for wise management and conservation of water. Monitoring of groundwater storage would be imperative to prevent mining.” Are we paying attention to that advice? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) lists over 50 wells in Washington County, but only 16 provided data for 2024, with historical annual data spanning at least 10 years. That’s…
  • Affordable Housing Off Hwy 91?
    The Utah Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) is looking for development proposals that “offer solutions to solve the housing crisis” on a 40-acre parcel of land in Ivins just off Hwy 91. Proposals must contain a plan to help provide affordable housing with an emphasis on the Governor’s goal of providing single detached homes in the sub $400,000 price range. SITLA anticipates these homes will range from 1,200 sf to 1,800 square feet, on 3,000 to 4,000 square foot lots. Upgrades…
  • Overview Of The 2024 Water Year
    The Virgin and Santa Clara rivers had a combined streamflow of just over 112,000 acre-feet of water in the 12 months ending in September. This is more than the median streamflow of 96,000 acre-feet a year since 2006. And it’s more than all but seven of the nineteen years we’ve collected data for. At first glance, this sounds promising, until we factor in the 50% population growth in Washington County since 2006. And the commercial growth. And the growth in…
  • Balancing Benefits for Residents & Developers
    When the Hidden Spring RV Resort on Hwy 91 (between Main Street and 200 W) was first proposed years ago, the Planning Commission and City Council crafted thoughtful code requirements to ensure it would truly be a “resort,” not just another RV park. These included landscaping to screen the resort from the road, concrete pads for RVs, and a vision (but not a requirement) for cottages along the frontage to soften the view of RVs. The result was a solid…
  • It’s Only Money…
    The City Council is working on how to fund about $40 million in capital improvement needs over the next five years. That’s in addition to our $12 million annual budget to pay for day-to-day operations. To put these costs in perspective, the City collected $2.3 million in property taxes last year. Some of the 25 capital projects we’re looking at are the result of growth. So, about $12 million of the total will come from impact fees—money collected from new…
  • Ivins Youth Swing Into Action
    Sometimes, it takes a fresh perspective to notice what’s missing. That’s exactly what happened when Ollie Robertson, a member of the Ivins Youth Council, realized that our community doesn’t have an ADA swing set. This inspired the Youth Council to take action and advocate for every child in Ivins to have the opportunity to enjoy Unity Park. Marc Christensen, the City’s Director of Parks & Recreation, enthusiastically supported this idea and found a grant opportunity to make this vision a…
  • Be the Spark. Make a Difference
    Ivins Inspired is a volunteer program created by Ivins residents Tiffany Wynn and Shauna Fisher, designed specifically for our community. Tiffany is also Co-Director of the Ivins Youth Council and Shauna created the Ivins Beautification Crew, known as ALLIs (Angels Lessening Litter in Ivins), a few years ago. Inspired by the successful “Carmel Cares” group of volunteers (www.carmelcares.org), this program aims to empower Ivins residents to lend a helping hand and leave a lasting impact on our beautiful city. Ivins…
  • Growing a Healthier Community
    Utah State University’s 2024 Wellbeing Survey ranked Ivins as the second healthiest city among the 49 cities surveyed in the state. This summer the City created the Healthy Ivins Coalition, chaired by Ivins resident Craig Shanklin. In September, Ivins was also awarded the Healthy Utah Community designation. The Coalition meets quarterly at Ivins City Hall. You are welcome to attend any of the Coalition meetings. Contact me for dates and agendas. Healthy Ivins Coalition Members Healthy Utah Community Award In…
  • We’ll Get There… In A Roundabout Way
    Have you noticed the speed tables at the Mustangs roundabout? Of course you have. And judging by the 100+ emails we received after the initial speed bumps were installed in August, you probably don’t like them. Some people blamed our Public Works Department for putting them in. That’s not fair. They aren’t fans of them either. The decision to install them as an experiment was made by the City Council in response to a serious problem: 23 accidents in the roundabout since 2020. Clearly, something…
  • Finally… A New General Plan
    The 2024 Ivins City General Plan was approved in November 2024. It is the primary guiding document and the principal tool to be used to create the future of Ivins. It tells the story of what Ivins was, is and ought to become through thoughtful and careful planning based on the vision, values, goals, and strategies described in the Plan. Click here for a copy of the new 2024 Ivins General Plan. Ivins is an extraordinary place, and its residents…
  • Building Permit Update
    Singlefamily permit activity averaged just 62 homes a month in the past twelve months. By comparison, just three years ago singlefamily permits were averaging over 200 homes a month. Multifamily permit activity is another story. And the trend is also misleading. There has been very little “traditional” multifamily permit activity in Ivins in the past few years. The dramatic spike in multifamily permits in 2023 is the result of Black Desert Resort. The City includes “tourist accommodations” (hotel units, rental…
  • Is This The Right Vision?
    Does the City’s vision for Ivins’ future match yours? The City Council has been working on an update to our General Plan since February. The General Plan is the City’s primary guiding document, outlining Ivins’ past, present, and future. It is meant to reflect our collective vision, values, and goals. It’s crucial to get this right, so your input is vital. Please review the plan and email me and the rest of the City Council with your suggestions. Don’t let…
  • Is Our Wellbeing Well?
    The results of Utah State University’s Wellbeing Survey for Ivins are now available. Ivins had the highest overall personal wellbeing average at 4.4 for cities in the rapid growth cluster. We also had the second highest score among the 49 cities surveyed. That’s all great. But the survey also highlighted concerns. Many respondents feel that population growth and economic development are occurring too quickly. The primary concerns for the future include water supply, water quality, traffic, open space/green space, air…
  • How Will the PGA Tour Impact Me?
    Thanks to Councilmember Sharon Barton, there is now a dedicated link on the City’s website for information about the Black Desert Resort’s PGA Tour, happening from October 9th to 13th. This page will be regularly updated with details about traffic, activities, and more.
  • Concerns About Contaminants in Dry Wash Reservoir
    Chuck Gillette, the Ivins City Director of Public Works presented an analysis of risks from the potential accumulation and spread of PFAS and other heavy metals in the proposed Dry Wash Reservoir. Here is his presentation (Download PDF). Here’s a video version of the presentation slides. Pause the video for any slides you want to spend more time on.
  • Yes I know Taxes Is A Four Letter Word
    At Thursday’s City Council meeting I uttered the unspeakable… the unthinkable: Let’s consider a property tax increase. If my goal was to make everyone in Ivins mad at me, I mean everyone, then mission accomplished. But once your blood pressure drops back into a normal range, please consider my reasons. Here is what I presented at the meeting. Part 1: Property Taxes: How Does Ivins Compare? Part 2: Property Taxes & General Fund Expenses Part 3: Public Safety Part 4:…
  • Field of Streams
    It was pointed out at last Thursday’s City Council meeting that dredging Gunlock Reservoir could increase its storage capacity by 3,000 acre-feet. That has been suggested a lot in recent months. Why not do that instead of creating the much smaller Dry Wash Reservoir? It sounded like a good idea. The Reservoir was designed to hold 10,884 acre-feet of water. But a buildup of sediment over the years has reduced its capacity. There has been some periodic dredging, but it…
  • How To Beat The Incomprehensible Web of Bureaucracy
    Sometimes people get upset on social media about the wrong things. Yes, believe it or not, that’s true. Like when the City approves a “preliminary plan” or a “final plat” for a development. Comments boil down to something like this, “Why would those idiots approve this when we are already overwhelmed with growth, traffic, water issues, and more?” Here’s why. Property owners are allowed to build whatever Ivins City Code says they can build for the zone they are in.…
  • “Ivins Inspired” Launching June 1st
    Here are excerpts from information Ivins resident Tiffany Wynn sent me about an exciting new project, “Ivins Inspired.” It is designed for Ivins but was inspired by the “Carmel Cares” volunteer organization (https://www.carmelcares.org/). “Ivins Inspired” is a volunteer program designed to empower Ivins residents to lend a helping hand and leave a lasting impact on our spectacular city. Officially launching on June 1st, it is an opportunity to come together as a community to create meaningful change. Whether you’re passionate…
  • Police, Fire, EMS Update
    Mayor Hart held a Public Safety Talkabout on Wednesday, April 24th. Our Police and Fire Chiefs gave an overview of where we are now with public safety and what they plan next to not only maintain but improve the level of service. About 50 residents participated, either in person or by Zoom, in almost 90 minutes of Q&A. They expressed gratitude for the quality of public safety, but also a lot of concerns. I took notes about the concerns raised.…

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