The Utah Governer's Geologic Hazards Working Group, which includes no one from the private sector, is considering some model legislation that can be adopted by cities and counties to make it more difficult for developers to build in landslide prone areas. Also, among other things, the group may recommend that Utah adopt stricter grading requirements based on the experiences of California. Read on for more info.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune article, the working group may recommend that the state:

• Update and digitize geologic-hazard maps.
• Ensure city and county planners and planning commissioners are trained to understand property rights and litigation threats.
• Craft a model geologic-hazards ordinance for cities and counties and encourage them to add a hazards element to their general plans.
• Establish new grading codes based on California's experiences.
• Provide geologic engineering and geotechnical expertise to local governments.
• Ensure geotechnical experts' recommendations are heeded.
• Bolster Utah's standards for engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers.
• Emphasize engineering geology programs at Utah universities.
• Form a task force to spell out how to ensure home buyers know of any geologic hazards.
• Create a post-mortem process to learn what went wrong when landslides occur.

 Here is an editorial from the Salt Lake Tribune on the same topic.

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