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ST. GEORGE – Washington County will be filling two vacancies on the county planning commission and interested citizens are invited to apply.

Planning commission members can influence ordinance changes and the direction of development in the county, Washington County Planner Scott Messel said.

To qualify for appointment, residents must be U.S. citizens, reside in Washington County and be registered to vote in the county.

The terms of current Planning Commission members Mike Stucki and JoAnne Balen are expiring, but both may be reapplying for the position, Messel said.

The planning commission has seven members, Messel said. Unlike many municipalities, the county Planning Commission is the land use authority for the majority of land use issues in the county, making final decisions about new subdivisions and conditional use permits, Messel said.

“So, in a way, the county has given a little bit more authority to the Planning Commission than most municipalities do,” Messel said.

Details

The Washington County Commission oversees the application process, conducts interviews and makes the final appointment for the planning commission.

The Planning Commission meets once or twice a month; regular meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month; work meetings and field trips are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Meetings generally last from one to four hours, Messel said.

Anyone wanting to apply for a position on the Washington County Planning Commission should submit a Candidate for Appointment form to the Washington County Commission Office at 197 E. Tabernacle no later than Dec. 29.

The County Commission will consider the nominees at a regular meeting Jan. 17.

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