Davis County proposes tax-sale ordinance changes to limit sales of nonviable parcels

Davis County staff on June 9 proposed changes to the county's tax-sale ordinance intended to prevent nonbuildable or marginal parcels from being sold at public auction to buyers who do not use the land and who may have paid inflated prices.

Using several parcel examples, the presenter described lots that are effectively worthless to most buyers — a narrow strip of yard that only benefits an adjacent homeowner and a quarter-acre lot with liens and landslide risk that sold for $42,000 despite five years of taxes totaling about $2,000. "I don't like it when anybody gets ripped off," the presenter said, and urged an ordinance that targets parcels that are not economically viable.

Under the proposed language, staff would first offer such parcels to anyone with a possessory (accessory) interest; if none accept, priority would go to abiding adjacent property owners. Only if neither category applies would the parcel go to a public auction open to all bidders. The proposed changes also clarify the role of a pre-tax-sale committee (it must meet before the tax sale to advise on appropriateness) and require successful purchasers to pay in certified funds or cash (no personal checks or credit cards) by 4 p.m. on the day of sale.

The changes are aimed at protecting neighbors and local governments from the consequences of purchasers who bid on parcels without conducting due diligence — for instance, buying a steep, landslide-prone lot without recognizing its limits. The presenter said staff would bring redlined ordinance language to the commission agenda and recommended adoption after committee review.

Commissioners present supported moving the draft ordinance forward to a commission meeting for formal consideration and public hearing.

If adopted, the change would permit the county to merge parcels and offer priority sales to occupants or neighboring owners before opening parcels to general auction; staff described the approach as preserving fairness for people directly affected by the parcel while still allowing public sale when no such owners step forward.