Hundreds of hours have been spent by members of the Millville community researching, meeting with state representatives, legal representatives, representatives from the Utah State Ombudsman's Office, on phone calls with the Utah Army Corp of Engineers, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, real estate developers, City Council Members, County Council Members, Millville City Treasurer, etc. Below is a brief summation of what has been learned:

• Millville is a town, as our population is about 2500.
• The State of Utah has recommended to cities that local governments need to plan for moderate housing BUT that is for communities with populations above 5000.
• At the 2.5% growth rate Millville has historically averaged, it will take 28.8 years for Millville to reach 5000 in population.
• Sue Jeff Investment Property, LLC purchased the land in south fields when it was in the county and zoned Agriculture.
• Sue Jeff Investment Property, LLC took a risk when purchasing this land as an investment, knowing that it was zoned 1 house per 5 acres.
• Sue Jeff Investment Property, LLC requested to be annexed into Millville knowing that its land would be in the current zone of 1 house per 2 acres.
• Recently, a new owner, Jeremy Evans, has been added to the land title. This new owner had to be aware of the same information listed above that Sue Jeff Investment Property, LLC was aware of when it purchased the land.
• The current Millville General Plan shows the south fields area as zoned 1 house per 2 acres, and that citizens of Millville want to keep the same country feel with larger lots and slow, controlled growth.
• Per Utah Code Section 10-9a, Part 4, a city's actions must conform to its adopted general plan.
• Per Millville City Code 16.04.060, “All subdivisions shall conform to and be in harmony with the General Plan of the City.”
• Cities have every right to create development zones that reflect what its citizens prefer. There is no law taking away the ability for cities to assign zones for certain areas regarding growth and development, so long as they reflect the cities General Plan.
• It is rare in similar sized communities in Utah that the City Council votes against a recommendation from Planning & Zoning. In fact, proposals that are 100% denied by Planning & Zoning are rarely presented to the City Council due to being rejected by P&Z, as P&Z is the governing body over land and zoning.
• For every $1 a city makes from a new home being built, the city will spend $1.50 to provide services for that home.
• Neither the land owner nor the developer reside in Millville, therefore P&Z nor City Council owes them anything, aside from an answer on the rezone request.
• Developments are not a money maker for a city, there are clearly better ways to increase a city income.
• While Property Rights are a big concern, per state and city code, the land owner can develop his land but only in accordance with the city's General Plan.
• Millville City should not be in the business of making external landowners and developers money.

The information below was shared by the City Council Members in the November 13, 2025 City Council Meeting where the Council unanimously denied the proposed rezone:

Jeremy Ward:

Worries about opening up a can of worms if we say yes to one developer without having a plan going forward in the south fields area. Recommends a pause to have the community decide what they want that area to look like. If the city could make another zone that was 1 acre zone and have more of a mix. He feels like we need another outlet. The city will be working on updating the general plan in the new year.

Pam June:

Per Millville City Code 16.04.060, “All subdivisions shall conform to and be in harmony with the General Plan of the City.” P&Z did not recommend it to be re-zoned. A compromise needs to be made.

Daniel Grange:

1/11/2018 Was against annexing this land into Millville. Feels strongly about the area being bigger lots. Would love to see phased zoning. Do what you will with your stuff, as long as you are within the guidelines. When this land was annexed into the city, it was stated in that meeting that there would be little chance of a residential rezone in the future. The owner knew, from the beginning, that it would be an uphill battle.

Clay Wilker:

Would like to see a compromise of less density for this area. P&Z and city council can work on working on this in the future. If property value is decreasing due to what is happening on land around my home, that is something to look at. Citizens in the area also have rights, as well as property owners. South fields are unique and the outpouring of the public has made that clear.

Ryan Zollinger:

If a development goes through on this land, it has the potential to make a huge impact on this side of town. Doesn't know that we're ready for the growth in the south fields. Struggles with a one size density approach. It shouldn't be all 1/3 acre lots throughout the entire area. Wishes the city had a better plan. Doesn't know that we have the roads to deal with the growth in traffic that will come with this development or growth with any of the other parts of the south end of the city. Doesn't know that the time is right for the rezone. 1/3 acre lots do not create a sweeping support of what our community is trying to be. There are other parts of the community that have larger lots also. It's not one-size fits all. The city needs to work on this so it meets that criteria. The community needs to do some work with the land owner and find something that does that.

It was made abundantly clear in the November 2025 vote that Millville City is not ready for a rezone in this area at this time.

In this new proposal, the developer states: “Steward Land Company is requesting a rezone from “A”, Agriculture, to “R1” and “R2” residential for the purpose of creating a subdivision of single family lots. We feel like this rezone will be beneficial to the city of Millville in that it will provide much desired housing in a location that will be cohesive with the fabric of the neighborhood and is a logical extension of the recent subdivision to the North…”

Ironically, the lots directly butting up to the land in question are the following amount of acreage: 1.48 acre, 1.29 acre, 1 acre, .53 acre, 15 acres, 2.15 acres, 3 acres, 6.41 acres. Not one is ⅓ of an acre, not cohesive, not an extension.

Members of the community have been in direct contact with the landowner (Sue Jeff Investment Property, LLC) and have offered to help them find buyers for bigger lots. Buyers are eager and ready for bigger lots!

Millville City has been putting in the work to create a 1 acre zone, has plans to update the General Plan, and is addressing the current zones. Millville City has been taking steps in the right direction but is still not ready to rezone this area at this time.

Nothing, regarding zones or the General Plan, has officially changed within the City since the November vote.

Questions:

• How are we here after only 3 months, especially after hearing what the citizens and the City Council feel needs to happen within the City first?
• Are members of the community and the City Council offended that the developer listened to nothing that was said in the public hearing(s) and the November vote?
• The landowner told the Herald Journal after the November vote, “I can’t afford to put my trailer on the 35 acres.” Do any of us seriously expect the landowner to take his $4.5 million from this developer and then buy a house on ⅓ acre in this proposed subdivision?
• The landowner also asked, in the October Public Hearing, “Won’t you let me be your neighbor?” Millville City is what it is because of the people here. Do we really want a “neighbor” that listens to nothing the current residents and City Council people are saying?