Management Plans

Utah Code tit. 23A, ch. 23A-6, pt. 23A-6-P3

in effect

Utah Code § 23A-6-301 Management plans.

23A-6-301. Management plans. (1) The division shall prepare a management plan for each wildlife management area. Upon adoption of a management plan by the director, the division shall manage the lands within the wildlife management area in accordance with the management plan. (2) A management plan shall include: (a) a statement of the proposed or anticipated uses; (b) a description of management limitations or conditions covering the wildlife management area; (c) an inventory of the existing conditions; (d) a statement of the desired future condition of the wildlife management area; (e) a list of strategies that may be implemented to achieve the desired future condition; and (f) a description of any reallocation of forage, water, or other resource appurtenant to the land within the wildlife management area. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 103, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 23A-6-302 Preparation of management plans -- Participation by interested persons and local and tribal governments -- Compatibility with local government plans and existing rights.

23A-6-302. Preparation of management plans -- Participation by interested persons and local and tribal governments -- Compatibility with local government plans and existing rights. (1) The division shall invite persons who may have an interest in how the land in a wildlife management area is managed to participate in the management planning process. (2) Those persons may include: (a) persons who use, or may use, the land in a wildlife management area for: (i) agriculture, mining, or other commercial pursuits; (ii) hunting or fishing; (iii) recreation; or (iv) other uses; (b) adjacent or nearby landowners or residents; or (c) other interested parties. (3) The division shall invite local government officials to participate in the management planning process. (4) In preparing a management plan, the division shall seek to make land uses compatible with: (a) local government general plans and zoning and land use ordinances; and (b) existing rights of others within the wildlife management area. (5) (a) If the land in a wildlife management area is located within or adjacent to tribal lands, the division shall invite tribal government officials to participate in the management planning process. (b) Participation by tribal officials in the development of management plans for lands owned by the division does not waive the tribe's sovereignty. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 103, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 23A-6-303 Review and adoption of management plans.

23A-6-303. Review and adoption of management plans. (1) The division shall submit a draft management plan to the Resource Development Coordinating Committee created in Section 63L-11-401 and the Habitat Council created by the division for their review and recommendations. (2) The division shall submit a draft management plan and any recommendations received from the Resource Development Coordinating Committee and the Habitat Council to: (a) the regional advisory council for the wildlife region in which the lands covered by the management plan are located; and (b) the regional advisory council for a wildlife region that may be affected by the management plan. (3) A regional advisory council reviewing a draft management plan may make recommendations to the director. (4) The director may adopt the management plan, adopt the management plan with amendments, or reject the management plan. (5) (a) At the request of the director or a member of the Wildlife Board, the Wildlife Board may review a management plan to determine whether the plan is consistent with Wildlife Board policies. (b) The director may amend a management plan in accordance with recommendations made by the Wildlife Board. (6) Neither the division nor the director may permanently close a road within a wildlife management area as part of a management plan without coordinating with the county legislative body within which the wildlife management area is located. (7) (a) The division shall record with the county in which the wildlife management area is located any road on or across the wildlife management area before the sale or exchange of a wildlife management area. (b) The sale or exchange of any portion of a wildlife management area is subject to the public access rights existing at the time of the sale or exchange. Amended by Chapter 200, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 23A-6-304 Procedure to revise a management plan.

23A-6-304. Procedure to revise a management plan. (1) A person seeking a revision of a management plan may request the regional advisory council in the region where the land in a wildlife management area is located to consider the proposal to revise the management plan. The regional advisory council shall consider the proposal and advise the division. (2) The process specified in Sections 23A-6-302 and 23A-6-303 shall be used to revise a management plan. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 103, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 23A-6-305 Change in land use where a management plan is not in effect -- Notification to affected persons -- Compatibility with local government plans.

23A-6-305. Change in land use where a management plan is not in effect -- Notification to affected persons -- Compatibility with local government plans. (1) If a management plan has not been adopted by the director for a tract of land owned by the division, the division may not change an existing right to use the land until the division notifies those who may be affected by the change and local government officials. (2) When changing an existing right to use the land, the division shall seek to make uses of division-owned land compatible with local government general plans and zoning and land use ordinances. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 103, 2023 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title23A/Chapter6/23A-6-P3.html?v=C23A-6-P3_2023050320230701Fetched: 10/26/2026