VALAR WATCH
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374 facts · 512 sources · updated 2026-09-30

Fact loc-013

newrecordconfirmed Orangeville is drafting an 'Advanced Energy and Manufacturing' zone for Valar's land, with Valar's lawyers reviewing
2026-07-16 · loc-013 · Orangeville City Council, Orangeville City Planning and Zoning, Valar Atomics, Jess Housekeeper, Emery County Commission, Castle Valley Special Service District

Orangeville City records: on 11 December 2025 the mayor told the council he would like to see Valar annexed into the city (minutes; he had first raised annexation in September 2025). On 17 March 2026 a special service district asked Emery County that Valar's parcel be annexed into Orangeville (gov-022), and on 19 May the county sent annexation notices (gov-022); on 21 May the Castle Valley Special Service District board reviewed pending annexations including property near Orangeville 'that may be developed by Valor', noting recent state law changes that allow a streamlined annexation by landowner petition (minutes). The city's 11 June minutes record staff 'working on annexation requirements' and the mayor meeting Valar about annexation. On 9 July council minutes record staff 'working on Nuclear Energy Ordinance', and that the city had sent a draft of 'the nuclear energy industry ordinance' being coded to allow Valar to be annexed; the annexation process was to begin at the August meeting with a Valar representative present. The Planning and Zoning Commission's 16 July minutes record an agenda item 'Ordinance I-2 Advanced Energy and Manufacturing District', with Valar's Jess Housekeeper present as its representative: 'There needs to be a plan for an ordinance for this company and future companies', he 'explained the wants and needs for this company', a public meeting would need to be posted by 30 July in draft form, and 'Everything needs to go through the attorneys from the City and Valar.' The commission's later agendas (11 August, 8 September, 17 September work meeting) do not list the I-2 ordinance, and no public hearing on it was found in the council's or the planning commission's notices through the 8 October 2026 council notice (a hearing on a cemetery fee). On 13 August the mayor said annexation could begin once the sale is final (loc-014). The planning commission's 8 September agenda and the council's 10 September agenda list an 'Updated Annexation Policy', the council's item 'to reflect legislative changes'. At the county, commissioners said on 21 July that annexation would put the land under Orangeville's authority for services and future land-use decisions (ETV, 28 July).

In plain termsValar's growing Emery site is set to be moved from county control into the town of Orangeville. The town is writing a new zoning district, called I-2 'Advanced Energy and Manufacturing', written around this company, and its planning minutes say the draft goes through both the city's lawyers and Valar's. Zoning is what decides what can be built and where, so the rules for Valar's land are being drafted with Valar at the table. As of 29 September 2026 no public hearing on the new zone had been noticed; when one is, it will be residents' chance to comment.
verified 2026-09-29: Re-read all minutes, agendas and both notice lists: holds. Made the 8-10 Sept item exact (agenda listings, not recorded action), described Housekeeper as the minutes do, added the CVSSD May annexation discussion, and removed an uncited legal claim from the plain field.

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