Alta (Utah)

These are comprehensive plans for municipal development adopted by the city commission. "Each municipality shall prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long-range general plan for present and future needs of the municipality; growth and development of the land within the municipality or any part of the municipality" (UCA 10-9-301(1) (1997)). "The planning commission shall make and recommend to the [city commission] a proposed general plan for the area within the municipality" (UCA 10-9-302(1)(a) (1997)). The plans serve as a guide for decision-making on rezoning and other planning proposals and as the goals and policies of municipalities attempting to guide land use in local jurisdictions. The plans include "planning commission's recommendations for the development of the territory covered by the plan, and may include, among other things: (a) a land use element; (b) a transportation and circulation element; (c) an

environmental element; (d) a public service and facilities element; (e) a rehabilitation, redevelopment, and conservation element; (f) an economic element; (g) recommendations for implementing the plan, including the use of zoning ordinances, subdivision ordinances, capital improvement plans, and other appropriate actions; and any other elements that the municipality considers appropriate" (UCA 10-9-302(2) (1997)). The plan may also include maps, plats, and charts.

The function of the planning commission is to author and approve the General Plan for the Town of Alta with the Town Council. The General Plan for the Town of Alta serves as an official policy to guide decisions affecting development in Alta and Little Cottonwood Canyon concerning the use, development, and conservation of land and water resources and establishes a long-range, comprehensive framework and direction for its implementation. The Town of Alta was incorporated on August 20, 1970. Over the years various versions of the plan have been written. In July 1973, Alta Town Council members adopted the "Alta/Little Cottonwood Canyon General Plan" which they had created according to guidelines provided in Utah's "Municipal Planning Enabling Act" (Utah Code, 1953, 10-9-20 [1984-1985]). A revised "General Plan for the Town of Alta" was published in November 1992. It was superseded by The Town of Alta General Plan (November 2005), an updated version of the 1992 plan which retained sections considered relevant in the context of current issues and priorities.