Earlier this month, a group of landowners in Heber Valley’s currently unincorporated North Fields asked the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s office for a study on whether they are eligible to incorporate their own town — River View.However, even though their request contained studies, signatures and location details to show the current area and its population meet the state’s qualifications of a town, the process will likely be trickier than a series of handshakes and stamps of approval from the state.According to Jordan Schwanke — a local entity specialist in Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s office — the full process could take between two years from the beginning to end.And, even though the feasibility study request might have the appropriate number of signatures from landowners within the potential town boundaries and the needed number of co-sponsors, other property owners within the boundaries are currently working with neighboring Heber City to annex into the municipality, something that could present a potential roadblock to incorporation efforts.“An annexation has the potential to delay the incorporation process,” Schwanke said. He referenced Utah Code Section 10-2a-207 and explained that it dictates that if “any part of an incorporation area is annexed after the feasibility study is released but before the county clerk conducts the second public hearing, incorporation sponsors will need to refile to take into account the annexed property.”This means that Harvest Village — a residential and commercial project landowners and developers are working to build near the tip of the North Fields — could sit at odds to property owners vying in favor of River View.And, though Heber City and the developers and landowners behind Harvest Village were hesitant to continue with their plans earlier this year due to concerns Utah Department of Transportation would end up slicing through the development as they consider routes for the Heber Valley Bypass, many of those concerns were appeased at a meeting between stakeholders earlier this month, and the developers told Heber City leaders they’re ready to continue.According to Schwanke, River View’s possible incorporation currently requires a feasibility consulting firm to determine the area is financially viable.“Next steps would include additional public hearings, the petition for incorporation, incorporation election, the election of new municipal officers (council and mayor), and the issuance of the certificate or incorporation,” he said.Though Heber City officials were told about River View’s request for a feasibility study at their Sep. 17 meeting, the news was fresh enough that its impacts were not thoroughly explored. According to City Manager Matt Brower, the City Council will more fully discuss what the potential new township’s application could mean in their Oct. 1 meeting after city staff have researched the nuances of the topic.River View’s designated sponsor Mark Wilson has declined to comment on his reasons for wanting to start a new town.Ed Clyde, one of River View’s co-sponsors, said his involvement is mainly motivated by his concern about water in the North Fields.“We just want to make sure that we can control our water and we can control our own destiny there in the North Fields,” he said. “We may as well make a town out of it.”The post North Field landowners could face uphill process to incorporate into River View appeared first on Park Record.