The process would likely be spelled out in city and county ordinances rather than in state law. The model ordinance that will be proposed to local governments will be worked on later based on existing laws, including ordinances in Morgan County and Draper.

"It will be an involved process that's going to take some time to come up with," Christenson said. "It will be up to the city to adopt it. We're not suggesting any state requirement."

Another of the group's suggestions that is likely to be easier said than done is updating the state's geologic hazards maps. Pinpointing things such as faults, landslides and other hazards involves aerial surveillance, on-the-ground study, compiling historical reports and a little guesswork.

The process becomes even tougher in urbanized areas, UGS senior geologist Francis Ashland said. He pointed to Sugar House, where scarps and faults are obscured by changed landscapes in places like Sugarhouse Park's duck pond.

The working group is made up of representatives from the Utah Geological Survey, the Utah League of Cities and Towns, the Utah Association of Counties, the governor's staff, the Utah City Engineers Association, the American Planning Association, the state Division of Homeland Security and a number of municipal governments.

The group expects to present its recommendations to Huntsman later this summer. The group is informal and its suggestions will not be binding, but they could lead to lobbying for legislation, the creation of new city and county ordinances and other changes.

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E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com