Utah cities would be prohibited from holding up occupancy permits as leverage to get more from developers in a bill that is now one step away from final legislative approval. Rep. Mike Morley is pushing his HB132 in response to concerns that some cities have threatened not to grant occupancy permits - they need to be issued before a building or project can occupied - unless developers pitch in for other city needs unrelated to their projects. Examples: Developers have been asked to help pay for a park down the road or "curb and gutter somewhere across town," the Spanish Fork Republican said. The House approved the bill 72-1 earlier this month and the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee unanimously endorsed the bill Monday. The only vote left is from the full Senate. "We've tried to tie it down saying the building permit, the life and safety codes and all the ordinances of a town are the only basis on which a project can be held up," said Morley, who works in the construction and real-estate development industry. The bill wouldn't prohibit cities from trying to get extra concessions from developers. City officials, however, would have to obtain an agreement on things such as parks early in the process. - Jacob Santini