Feasibility study backs Willow plan; January 7 hearing set amid local pushback

The Willow munici­pality, a proposed new town east of Kanab, moved forward with its preliminary feasibil­ity study in late No­vember. Early drafts of the study found the municipality not feasible, citing high municipal service costs and an uncertain de­mographic base. However, the final report reversed that conclu­sion, determining the municipality to be fiscally feasible and allowing the project to continue through Utah’s Preliminary Municipality process. Under state law, a finding of non-feasibility would have halted the proposal before it could advance to the next stage.

In late December meetings, officials from Kane County and Kanab City chal­lenged key assump­tions in the report, particularly related to fire protection services, which represent one of the most significant municipal cost drivers for the proposed town. The feasibility study assumes Willow would contract fire protection from the Vermillion Cliffs Special Service District (VCSSD), which in turn relies on Kanab City for fire services. The report states that while the area currently lacks fire protection, it would require services upon incorporation and assumes those services would be contracted rather than self-provided.

Local officials have disputed that assump­tion. Kane County Commissioner Celeste Meyeres, who also serves on the VCSSD board, said the district does not intend to provide fire protection to Willow, adding that the cost of establishing an independent department would make the municipality unfeasible. Kanab City Manager Kyler Ludwig echoed those concerns during a city council meeting, stating the city is not prepared to absorb or support fire protection for the proposed devel­opment.

Both the Kane Coun­ty Commission and the Kanab City Council have submitted formal letters to the Lieuten­ant Governor’s Office, which oversees the incorporation process, outlining their inabil­ity or unwillingness to provide fire protection and raising concerns about the feasibility study’s assumptions and conclusions.

County and city officials have also ex­pressed broader concerns, including the possibility that an incomplete or abandoned development could leave the county responsible for roads and infrastructure without sufficient funding, as well as early residents expecting municipal services from a government not yet equipped to provide them.

The Lieutenant Gov­ernor’s Office and Phi­lo, the firm developing Willow, will hold a pub­lic hearing on January 7, 2026, to allow fea­sibility consultants to present their findings. The hearing will be held in Ballroom A at the Kanab Center, 20 N. 100 E. Members of the public may attend and submit questions in advance to incorpo­rations@utah.gov