Utah Code § 53-2a-205

Authority of chief executive officers of political subdivisions -- Ordering of
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evacuations.
(1)
(a) In order to protect life and property when a state of emergency or local emergency has been
declared, subject to limitation by the Legislature as described in Subsection 53-2a-206(5),
and subject to Section 53-2a-216, the chief executive officer of each political subdivision of
the state is authorized to:
(i) carry out, in the chief executive officer's jurisdiction, the measures as may be ordered by the
governor under this part; and
(ii) take any additional measures the chief executive officer may consider necessary, subject to
the limitations and provisions of this part.

(b) The chief executive officer may not take an action that is inconsistent with any order, rule,
regulation, or action of the governor.
(c) A chief executive officer of a municipality may not exercise powers under this chapter to
respond to an epidemic or a pandemic.
(2) Subject to Section 53-2a-216, when a state of emergency or local emergency is declared, the
authority of the chief executive officer includes:
(a) utilizing all available resources of the political subdivision as reasonably necessary to manage
a state of emergency or local emergency;
(b) employing measures and giving direction to local officers and agencies which are reasonable
and necessary for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of this part and with
orders, rules, and regulations made under this part;
(c) if necessary for the preservation of life, issuing an order for the evacuation of all or part of the
population from any stricken or threatened area within the political subdivision;
(d) recommending routes, modes of transportation, and destinations in relation to an evacuation;
(e) suspending or limiting the sale, dispensing, or transportation of alcoholic beverages,
explosives, and combustibles in relation to an evacuation, except that the chief executive
officer may not restrict the lawful bearing of arms;
(f) controlling ingress and egress to and from a disaster area, controlling the movement of
persons within a disaster area, and ordering the occupancy or evacuation of premises in a
disaster area;
(g) clearing or removing debris or wreckage that may threaten public health, public safety, or
private property from publicly or privately owned land or waters, except that where there is no
immediate threat to public health or safety, the chief executive officer shall not exercise this
authority in relation to privately owned land or waters unless:
(i) the owner authorizes the employees of designated local agencies to enter upon the private
land or waters to perform any tasks necessary for the removal or clearance; and
(ii) the owner provides an unconditional authorization for removal of the debris or wreckage
and agrees to indemnify the local and state government against any claim arising from the
removal; and
(h) invoking the provisions of any mutual aid agreement entered into by the political subdivision.
(3)
(a) If the chief executive is unavailable to issue an order for evacuation under Subsection (2)(c),
the chief law enforcement officer having jurisdiction for the area may issue an urgent order for
evacuation, for a period not to exceed 36 hours, if the order is necessary for the preservation
of life.
(b) The chief executive officer may ratify, modify, or revoke the chief law enforcement officer's
order.
(4) Notice of an order or the ratification, modification, or revocation of an order issued under this
section shall be:
(a) given to the persons within the jurisdiction by the most effective and reasonable means
available; and
(b) filed in accordance with Subsection 53-2a-209(1).

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