Cache County Council Special Workshop Meeting – 09-24-2025

- The council workshop focused on how Cache County should handle future subdivisions in unincorporated areas, especially the growing number of 20-lot developments and whether current county code gives enough authority to require water, septic, fire, and road protections before approval. - USGS representative Eric explained that the county’s groundwater study is still underway and will measure recharge rates, aquifer age, pumping impacts, and possible effects of development and septic systems; preliminary results and a groundwater model are expected in about a year. - Water-rights engineer Scott Buck said groundwater conditions vary across Cache Valley, with some areas likely fine for homes but others more vulnerable; he noted that larger wells are more likely to affect nearby users than smaller individual wells. - Bear River Health’s Richard Worley explained septic permitting is currently based on state code and soil transmissivity, with lot sizes generally ranging from one acre to one and three-quarters acres for private wells; he said contamination concerns would require a density study or other data to justify stricter rules. - Fire officials warned that clustered hillside developments without hydrants or a second access create serious risk, citing a recent three-alarm fire in Petersburg and other concerning subdivisions; Jason said the county needs either a reliable water supply or two ways out, and that fire code expectations may require about 1,000 gallons per minute for an hour. - Council and staff discussed creating county ordinances that would require a single shared well or other water system for larger subdivisions, rather than allowing many individual wells, and possibly requiring developers to build systems to city standards so they can be annexed later. - Matt Phillips said the county should also consider source water protection, because new wells can trigger protection zones that restrict septic systems nearby; he and others suggested looking at how other counties and water districts handle these issues and possibly using districts to operate shared systems. - Several participants argued the county should shift more of the infrastructure cost and risk to developers through impact fees or required system installation, while still allowing development to proceed with conditions rather than an outright ban. - The council agreed the issue needs a coordinated code update involving planning staff, legal counsel, health, fire, public works, and water experts; Angie said subdivision-related items will be added to the planning commission agenda and that a consultant-funded code update is being considered. - The meeting ended with agreement to hold another workshop on October 22 at 6:00 p.m. to continue developing subdivision, water, septic, and fire-related code changes before the county’s moratorium expires.