Utah Code tit. 17, ch. 17-61, pt. 17-61-P1 — General Provisions | Utah Code (current version as served 2026-10-18) — Utah

Utah Code § 17-61-101 Definitions.

17-61-101. Definitions. (1) "Annexing county" means the county to which a portion of territory of an adjoining county is annexed, or proposed to be annexed, as provided in Part 3, County Annexation. (2) "Consolidating county" means the county to which another county is joined, or is proposed to be joined, by consolidation as provided in Part 2, Consolidation of Counties. (3) "Independent surveyor" means the surveyor whose position is established within the Utah Geospatial Resource Center under Section 63A-16-505. (4) "Initiating county" means the county from which a portion of territory is annexed, or is proposed to be annexed, to an adjoining county as provided in Part 3, County Annexation. (5) "New county" means the county that is created through the process described in Part 4, Creating New Counties. (6) "Originating county" means the county that is joined, or is proposed to be joined, to another county through consolidation as provided in Part 2, Consolidation of Counties. (7) "Seceding county" means the county that loses, or is proposed to lose, territory to a new county through the process described in Part 4, Creating New Counties. Enacted by Chapter 13, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-61-102 Counties of the state -- County boundaries maintained by lieutenant governor -- Process to determine disputed county boundaries.

17-61-102. Counties of the state -- County boundaries maintained by lieutenant governor -- Process to determine disputed county boundaries. (1) The counties of the state are those whose geographical boundaries in the official county boundary records maintained by the office of the lieutenant governor, as described in Section 17E-2-301, and may be changed only in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (2) The office of the lieutenant governor shall: (a) maintain the official county boundaries of the state; and (b) update the official county boundaries upon the lieutenant governor's issuance, under Section 67-1a-6.5, of an applicable certificate. (3) (a) If a dispute or uncertainty arises as to the true location of a county boundary as described in the official records maintained by the office of the lieutenant governor, the county surveyors of each county whose boundary is the subject of the dispute or uncertainty may determine the true location. (b) If agreement is reached under Subsection (3)(a), the county surveyors of each county whose boundary was the subject of the dispute or uncertainty shall provide notice, accompanied by a map, to the lieutenant governor showing the true location of the county boundary. (4) (a) If the county surveyors fail to agree on or otherwise fail to establish the true location of the county boundary, the county executive of either or both of the affected counties shall engage the services of an independent surveyor. (b) After being engaged under Subsection (4)(a), the independent surveyor shall notify the county surveyor of each county whose boundary is the subject of the dispute or uncertainty of the procedure the independent surveyor will use to determine the true location of the boundary. (c) With the assistance of each county surveyor who chooses to participate, the independent surveyor shall determine permanently the true location of the boundary by marking surveys and erecting suitable monuments to designate the boundary. (d) Each boundary established under this Subsection (4) shall be considered permanent until superseded by legislative enactment. (e) The independent surveyor shall provide notice, accompanied by a map, to the lieutenant governor showing the true location of the county boundary. (5) Nothing in this section may be construed to give the county surveyors or independent surveyor any authority other than to erect suitable monuments to designate county boundaries as they are described in the official records maintained by the office of the lieutenant governor. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 13, 2025 Special Session 1