Box Elder County OKs one‑year lease with Autonomous Solutions for fairgrounds testing area

Box Elder County commissioners approved a one‑year parking‑lot lease with Autonomous Solutions, Inc. on March 11, allowing the company to use the fairgrounds’ east parking area as a testing site for autonomous heavy‑machinery.

Deputy County Attorney Anne Hansen summarized the lease terms (Agreement #26‑08). Joshua Williams, director for Autonomous Solutions, said the company uses the site to simulate loading, unloading and parking environments for autonomous tractor‑trailer testing. The written agreement specifies a term from Aug. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2027, with an option to renew for a second year; Lessee must maintain commercial general liability insurance with a $3,000,000 minimum aggregate, erect temporary fencing and barriers, park employee vehicles in the designated area, and vacate or remove equipment to allow county fair preparations each August.

Williams said the arrangement “has been mutually beneficial,” noting the company uses local mechanics and businesses and that the site is vacated during the fair. The lease requires testing be performed primarily Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with occasional extended or Saturday work allowed but no testing after 10 p.m. Lessee must not operate autonomous vehicles on Box Elder County roads and must comply with Tremonton City zoning and business‑licensing requirements.

Commissioner Lee Perry moved to approve Parking Lot Lease Agreement #26‑08; Commissioner Boyd Bingham seconded and the motion carried on a unanimous roll‑call vote with Chairman Tyler Vincent, Commissioner Bingham and Commissioner Perry voting yea.

During the public comment period DeAnna Hardy of Brigham City criticized the county fair and argued against fee waivers requested by the Box Elder School District; those comments were not part of the lease deliberation and did not affect the commissioners’ vote.

The executed agreement (Agreement #26‑08) and its exhibits (site map and proposed layout) were entered into the meeting record and will be retained by the county clerk.