Series 3662

BRIGHAM CITY (UTAH). CITY COUNCIL [3086 ]

ORDINANCES, 1875-[ongoing]
5 microfilm reels

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: According to Utah law, the governing body of each municipality shall exercise its legislative powers through ordinances. The governing body may pass any ordinance to regulate, require, prohibit, govern, control or supervise any activity, business, or condition authorized by law (Utah Code, 1988, 10-3-701-702). Ordinances relate to public utilities, city departments and officials, city finances, crimes and nuisances, business licenses, zoning and building codes, etc.

Even though Brigham City was incorporated in 1867 the city council did not begin meeting regularly until 1875. In that year the council began the project of drafting ordinances to regulate all aspects of municipal government. The first book of Brigham City ordinances (1875-1918) begins with a copy of an act passed by the Territorial Assembly providing for the incorporation of Brigham City. The council adopted this act as the first Brigham City ordinance. Book One continues with ordinances establishing a procedure for passing ordinances, governing elections, and defining the responsibilities of all public offices. These included assessor and tax collector, treasurer, recorder, supervisor of streets, marshal, water master, police captain, sexton, surveyor, building inspector, tailor, attorney, and pound keeper. In 1896 the council created a fire department and appointed a night watchman and a quarantine physician. In 1900 it created a board of health. The first book of Brigham City ordinances also includes ordinances relating to liquor control and prohibition, tax levies, water regulation, and a variety of business licenses. It contains ordinances designed to enforce sanitation and refuse removal and to control traffic, bicycles and animals within city limits. The Brigham City council granted franchises for public utilities, including telephone (1889), electricity (1895), street car construction (1910), and natural gas (1913). Through ordinances and resolutions the council provided funding for and authorized the construction of a municipal power plant (1902) and public water works (1905). The city council created a number of curb or sidewalk districts, increasing taxes in designated areas to install improvements.

Throughout the twentieth century the city council has continued to establish sidewalk, curb and gutter, and sewer districts. In 1920 the city council provided for house numbering. The council continued to operate a municipal power plant and culinary water works, and to pass ordinances as necessary to finance and update these operations and to set utility rates. Many more ordinances deal with zoning issues, building codes, and property annexations, as well as traffic and parking regulations. During the early 1900s the city council presented each annual budget as an ordinance.

In recent decades the city council has focused on community development including zoning and redevelopment, annexing territory, and adopting uniform building codes, etc. The city council granted franchises for taxi service (1981) and cable television (1989). In 1983 and again in 1993, the council published "The Code of the City of Brigham City, Utah," containing all ordinances of general and permanent nature. Copies of Brigham City code are not included here, but only ordinances validating these publications. The council created several new community offices including a Senior citizens' board (1969), a museum gallery board (1978), a recreation commission (1978), a historic preservation commission (1986), a youth commission (1996), and a city planner (1996). In recent decades the council has enacted many ordinances dealing with a variety of social issues such as unclaimed property, handicapped access, seat belt requirements, fireworks, alcohol control, animal control, curfews, swap meets, residential and child care centers, transient control, etc.

ARRANGEMENT: Brigham City ordinances are arranged in chronological order.

RESEARCH NOTE: From incorporation to 1977 Brigham City ordinances were kept in numbered books. Resolutions were also included in the first book. Since 1977 ordinances have simply been filed consecutively. Early ordinances are accompanied by documents showing proof of publication. Beginning in about 1990 related documents, such as zoning maps, are filed together with relevant ordinances.

RELATED RECORDS: The Brigham City council also kept MINUTES, series 3803 , which provide background information about ordinances passed as well as additional copies of many ordinances and resolutions. While the COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS INDEX, series 6326, references city council minutes, it can also be used as a guide for finding ordinances on specific topics. Many zoning and development ordinances relate to the work of the planning commission. Planning commission MINUTES are series 23380.

FINDING AIDS: Indexes are included in books 2 and 3. While the COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS INDEX, series 6326, references city council minutes, it can also be used to reference ordinances on specific topics.

PROCESSING NOTE: Four books of Brigham City ordinances were microfilmed by Utah State Archives in April 1978. Subsequent ordinances were microfilmed in January 2001 and the series was processed by Rosemary Cundiff in July 2002.

PREFERRED CITATION: Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

CONTAINER LIST

Reel	Description
1	1875, Nov 13-1918, May 13 (Book 1)
2	1918, Oct 25-1952, Jan 4 (Book 2)
2	1952, May 15-1960, Sep 6 (Book 3)
3	1960, Oct 6-1976, Jun 13 (Book 3 continued)
3	1976, Jul 1-1977, Oct 6 (Book 4)
4	1977, Jan 6-1992, Nov 12
5	1993, Feb 10-2001, Jan 4