City updates annexation policy plan
Eagle Mountain City has refined how it evaluates potential future development with the release of its updated 2025 Annexation Policy Plan.
The plan outlines when and why the City may consider expanding its boundaries, emphasizing that annexation will remain a selective, deliberate process focused on long-term community benefit.
“We want residents to know that annexation decisions are ultimately about stewardship,” said Planning Director Brandon Larsen. “If it doesn’t serve the community in a meaningful way, we won’t pursue it.”
Annexations in Utah are governed by state law, which outlines how petitions are submitted, reviewed and finalized. The plan summarizes these requirements, including how a proposed annexation would affect community character, municipal services, tax impacts, boundary alignment and neighboring jurisdictions.
Larsen said state law provides a solid foundation, but the City adds its own considerations to ensure annexations align with local values.
“We look carefully at service feasibility, fiscal impacts, neighborhood compatibility, and water availability,” he said. “Those are core issues for Eagle Mountain.”
Annexation proposals must still demonstrate that the City can provide necessary municipal services and that the expansion supports financial sustainability. Developers are expected to contribute water rights and participate in funding or constructing infrastructure improvements.
The 2025 Annexation Policy Map identifies six areas where Eagle Mountain may consider future annexation, each with specific opportunities and challenges.
Area 1, southeast of the City near Utah Lake, could secure shoreline access, trail systems, and a regional transportation corridor extending toward southern Utah County. Environmental constraints and infrastructure costs remain key considerations.
Area 2, south of the city and near Fairfield, offers long-term potential for energy-related uses, from natural gas infrastructure to renewable energy or emerging technologies. Annexation would help the City maintain control over critical utility corridors.
Area 3, west of Eagle Mountain near BLM land, would strengthen boundary continuity and support open-space preservation and recreation access on the west side of the valley.
Area 4, in central Cedar Valley near SR-73 and the future Cedar Valley Freeway, carries potential for transportation-focused economic development. The area could support logistics, employment uses, and critical roadway corridors.
Area 5, bordering Camp Williams, offers opportunities for recreation, agritourism, and compatible light industrial activity. Coordination with military partners, Cedar Fort, and environmental agencies would be essential.
Area 6, in the northern Lake Mountains, includes BLM-controlled land that could support new trailheads, open space, and outdoor recreation, provided wildfire and environmental concerns are addressed.
Larsen emphasized that even within identified areas, annexation would only move forward when it clearly advances the City’s vision and aligns with its master plans.
“Annexation is a 50-year decision, not a five-year decision,” he said. “Our responsibility is to make sure that any expansion of our boundaries is done with intention.”
The plan concludes that annexation will remain one of several tools Eagle Mountain uses to protect natural resources, secure regional infrastructure, and support economic opportunities.