Planning and zoning authority is under attack on many fronts. House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, and Rep. Wayne Harper, R- West Jordan, are contemplating legislation that would require cities to give specific reasons why they make zoning decisions. City leaders would have to find that a proposed development would be "detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the community" before they could reject it. Cities also may face strict time limits in making development decisions.

This appears to be a move to dilute municipal powers with respect to planning and zoning decisions. What would be left, community planning according to the whims of wealthy land owners? Planning and zoning, it can be argued, are among the main reasons municipal governments exist.

As troubling as the lawmakers' issues may be, it is equally dangerous to make zoning decisions at the ballot box. Most voters will not undertake the careful study and analysis inherent in planning and zoning processes. These are not issues that should be decided by sound bites, clever advertisements or flashy web sites.

If Utah wants sustainable, livable communities in the face of tremendous population grown in the coming years, it must abide by trusted planning and zoning methods. This doesn't mean community members should rubber stamp whatever elected officials tell them is good for their community. They need to be active participants in established processes which, admittedly, are not perfect. But they remain a community's best option for smart development.