I found this great study on lakeside square and it is full of information to keep you better informed. This was completed from an outside company. Check it out!
Clearfield City wanted to create a new downtown. They asked us to help make it happen.
In 2016, Clearfield City adopted a resolution to their General Plan—the Downtown Clearfield Small Area Plan. This plan called for the strategic redevelopment of a large 1970s-era shopping center, a 100-unit mobile home park, and a 3 acre (hidden) pond. Better City completed a feasibility study for the project area which outlines a use mix and site layout that is both market-driven and that plays into Clearfield’s long term downtown plans.
We are currently in the implementation phase and have successfully recruited in a master developer and several anchor tenants including a hotel, entertainment venue, and dining options. The Better City team is playing a key role working with the City, developers, and landowners to make the City’s dream become a reality.
This ‘Western water guy’ made a case for the Great Salt Lake in congressional hearing
The Great Salt Lake is a cultural treasure. This legislation will help it survive
Sometimes in life you are afforded the opportunity to do things you never imagined. That happened to me this past week. I testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources subcommittee about bringing key help to restore the Great Salt Lake. Utah Congressman John Curtis sits on this committee. He is the primary House sponsor and is a major force in guiding this legislation called the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act.
Not only was I invited to express support for the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act, I’m honored to be the leader of the Utah organization, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, that would be responsible for executing its directives.
This legislation provides the Secretary of the Interior flexibility to utilize unexpended budget authority that may be available from other sections of the Central Utah Project Completion Act to enhance the popular Water Conservation Credit Program, that my district administers.
Importantly, under this new act, the geographic area covered by Central Utah Project Completion Act’s water conservation program would be expanded to include the entire Great Salt Lake Basin. This will assist with efforts by the State of Utah, local communities and water districts north of Salt Lake County to conserve water use and replenish the Great Salt Lake, which has been severely impacted by drought conditions.
I’m proud of how Utahns have confronted the challenge, with everyone doing what we can to conserve and redirect water to restore the Great Salt Lake to healthy levels. Our work has just started, that is certain, but our actions are already making a difference. As a public servant for 36 years, I’ve lived what most of us know: the easy stuff is first, now we are on to the tough work.
Here’s a critical component of this legislation — it does not require new spending authorization. Annual funding for the program comes through the programmatic funding Congress provides to Central Utah Project Completion Act within the Department of Interior’s budget each year. This provides access to a stable federal funding mechanism for conservation projects that can be geared toward helping the Great Salt Lake.
To give a scale to the kind of conservation we’ve been engaged in for years now under this congressional authority, in 2020 alone, the water savings from these projects was enough to nearly fill Deer Creek Reservoir, which has a capacity of 152,000 acre-feet. So again, this act will expand the work we can do on behalf of the entire Great Salt Lake Basin.
As I testified to the House Committee, Central Utah Water Conservancy District stands side by side with all members of Utah’s federal delegation in supporting this act. My district is committed to bring the resources and expertise to administer the act’s directives.
I’m appreciative of Rep. Curtis and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, not only for being the sponsors, but expending the political muscle needed to move federal gears to act on behalf of our beautiful, Western state. Curtis said it well: “Through this bill, we are ensuring no doors are left unopened to save our lake.”
The Great Salt Lake is a state, if not a national, treasure. It is essential to our culture, economy, biodiversity, climate and wildlife. I’m optimistic about its future. I’m also a western water guy, so I know that conservation is not one-and-done — it’s a way of life.
I’m hopeful this critical legislation passes. Last week’s hearing was the first big step in the House of Representative’s process (the act is also working its way through the U.S. Senate). As citizens, we can show our support for our federal delegation continuing efforts to pass the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act (HR4094/S. 1955). Call or write, and let them know each of us support making the Great Salt Lake healthy again.
Gene Shawcroft is general manager of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. He is also Utah’s Colorado River Commissioner. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a master’s degree in civil engineering.
-Article on The Great Salt Lake Project By Gene Shawcroft Aug 4, 2023, 11:29am MDT
Water year leaves slightly fewer Utahns worried about Great Salt Lake. Poll shows concern remains strong, but slightly diminished in light of snowpack
<bsp-timestamp data-timestamp="1686612678000"> Jun 12, 2023, 5:31pm MDT</bsp-timestamp>
The endless winter storms that draped Utah’s watersheds in a canopy of white, breaking records, collapsing roofs and burying recreation sites also slightly dampened some of the concern Utah residents have over the Great Salt Lake.
A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll shows that 74% of Utah residents remain concerned over the fate of the saline lake, while 27% are less concerned or not concerned at all. Dan Jones & Associates conducted the survey of 798 registered Utah voters May 22 to June 1. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percentage points.
That percentage of concern has dropped since last year, when the lake was struggling with historically low levels. At that time, 80% of residents voiced their concern over the lake, which is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere.
Incoming Great Salt Lake Commissioner Brian Steed said the numbers are not surprising.
“I think there’s a tendency when we have a good water year for people to think that the problems are solved. Unfortunately on the Great Salt Lake, that one good water year was preceded by many, many bad water years, and so we got ourselves into something of a deficit with the Great Salt Lake,” Steed said. “We need to be mindful of that. In order to get out of that deficit, it is going to take more than one good year, so it’s not time for us to give up on water conservation.”
While a water supply outlook report released this week by the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Utah Snow Survey noted the lake has risen by five feet, Steed says it still has a long way to go and those numbers largely reflect the south arm of the lake, which is at an elevation of 4,194 feet.
“We’re not seeing that level of increase in the north arm, so that is something we have to watch, too.”
Rising lake levels have prompted the return of some of the larger sailboats to the the Great Salt Lake Marina this week, but Steed also cautioned that may not be a luxury that endures for long.
“We’re not very many feet away from actually having to remove those boats again. I don’t want to be a glass half full kind of guy. I think that we have a lot of cause to celebrate, but we should not let up on our concern.”
The larger sailboats were returned to the marina after they were forced to leave last year because lake levels plunged to the lowest they have been in 175 years of recorded history.
“The other thing is that level is not high enough that it creates a buffer for dry years that we know are going to come,” he said. “With drought years, we would expect that to shrink. ... Sitting at the level it is right now, it’s not quite high enough to feel super confident that it won’t shrink quickly and put us back into a crisis situation.”
Lawmakers have been galvanized into action to help the Great Salt Lake and boost water conservation efforts, spending millions over the last two years, including the establishment of a $40 million Great Salt Lake trust and changing the law that allows holders of water rights to lease their water on behalf of the lake without fear of losing that right.
Latest updates from the campaign:
While working on personal development, the city council recommended an excellent read. The book, 13 Ways To Kill Your Community by Doug Griffiths. JJ Allen the City Manager shared a quote that really spoke to me. The one thing we can control daily is our attitude and how we react to situations.
”Ultimately the success of a community does not fall solely or even primarily, to the responsibility of government and those elected leaders. The success of a community is the responsibility of every single member of that community and that success is dependent on the attitudes that prevail. Success or failure always comes down to your attitude, whether you are a student or an adult, whether you are an association or an organization, whether you are a business or a community. The reason communities, any communities, fail is because of wrong attitudes. Of all the things affecting our lives every day, we can really only control our attitudes.”
June 2023
In June, I attended a “Growing Water Smart Workshop” (GWS) with Clearfield City staff at Utah State University. Planning for water resiliency is important as it is a lifeline to the community. We had a record snow year that allowed us to gain ground on the existing drought. We are still at record low levels in the Great Salt Lake and will require many more great snow years to get out of the danger zone. Developed strategies on how to integrate land and water for policies and future development in our city. The workshop additionally put us in front of the key players and resources to establish goals for success. Conservation methods and education with the residents could provide a cost savings and increase the likelihood of preserving the Great Salt Lake.
<bsp-timestamp data-timestamp="1703017450000"> Dec 19, 2023, 1:24pm MST</bsp-timestamp>
As Utah continues to grow, it’s no surprise that the largest number of new residents comes from California. But it’s not the only state driving the Beehive State’s population growth.
In 2022, Utah saw an influx of 91,341 new residents, according to recent numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 states feeding Utah:
California, 18,669.
Washington, 8,845.
Idaho, 7,774.
Texas, 7,070.
Arizona, 5,357.
Colorado, 5,327.
Nevada, 3,549.
Florida, 3,025.
Oregon, 2,413.
New York, 2,236.
Emily Harris, a demographic analyst at the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, told the Deseret News last year that the number of Californians moving to Utah isn’t surprising given California’s sheer size. It’s the most populated state in the nation and has seen significant domestic net out-migration for decades. Plus, Utah is fairly close to the Golden State.
And Utah isn’t even in the top 10 states that have received the most new residents from California. The number in Utah pales in comparison to the over 50,000 Californians that move to states like Arizona, Texas, Nevada and Washington, according to Harris’ research.
The number of Californians heading to Utah last year dropped 20% from 23,219 in 2021.
Utah was the fastest-growing state in the country between the 2010 and 2020 censuses. Gov. Spencer Cox seemed to discourage Californians from moving to Utah when asked at a news conference in February what the state was doing to attract new residents.
“Our biggest problems are more growth-related. We would love for people to stay in California instead of coming as refugees to Utah,” the governor said. Cox said Utah’s biggest problems are housing and water.
Asked later in the news conference what he meant by saying people in California should stay there, Cox said, “What I mean is, we’ve had a lot of people move from California into our state. Growth is our biggest issue right now. So we would love to see California cutting taxes and regulations. I think that would be good.”
Rent or buy in today’s housing market?
The record in-migration continues to increase the demand for rental housing in the state, according to the Rental Housing Association of Utah
“Demand for rental housing has never been higher,” said Paul Smith, executive director of the Rental Housing Association of Utah. “Higher mortgage interest rates have sidelined many people from homeownership. This has placed even greater demand on all types of rentals.”
The nonprofit trade association represents about 3,500 rental operators, ranging from basement apartment owners to large management companies, and more than 160,000 units.
In October, the Deseret News reported that high interest rates and record housing prices bolstered the argument for choosing to rent rather than buy.
Affordable housing plan
As part of his 2024-25 budget proposal, Cox unveiled an ambitious plan for the state to build 35,000 starter homes by 2028. It calls for a $150 million investment, including an additional $50 million for the First-time Homebuyer Assistance Program launched last year that subsidizes the purchase of newly built starter homes.
Record migration combined with higher interest rates is making Utah’s housing shortage worse, according to Smith.
During a building boom, Utah made up significant ground on its housing shortage, shrinking the gap from 56,800 units in 2017 to 28,400 units in 2022. But as homebuilding activity is expected to contract, new households will outnumber new housing units. Consequently, the housing shortage will likely increase to over 37,000 units by 2024, according to a September report from University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
Housing expert Dejan Eskic, a researcher at the institute, expects the shortage to last through the decade.
In 2022, there were 14,236 authorized permits for multifamily units on the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber counties), down 25% from 19,081 permits in 2021, according to the rental association. In the first half of 2023, just 5,782 permits were approved for apartments, town houses and condominiums.
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 10:29 AM
Envision Utah Released Report on Affordable Housing
Opinion: There is a simple answer to improve the housing crisis
Envision Utah recently released a comprehensive report on housing affordability in Utah with 13 recommendations for zoning changes that will help put more housing within reach of more households
When 76% of Utahns are unable to afford a median-priced home, we’ve reached a point of crisis. If current trends continue, up-and-coming Utahns won’t have the same opportunities as prior generations to enter homeownership, they won’t have adequate space or financial capacity for a family, and they won’t be able to build intergenerational wealth.
But with some changes to our zoning ordinances, we can promote better affordability. And we can do it without sacrificing quality of life in other ways.
First, it’s helpful to put the housing affordability problem in context.
This is a nationwide problem, although Utah has seen higher cost increases than most places. The root of the problem is that housing units haven’t kept up with high demand.
That demand isn’t just people moving in from elsewhere (many of whom were born in Utah in any case), it’s also our own kids — Utah’s millennial and Z generations are a far larger percent of our population than is the case in the rest of the country.
At the same time, multiple factors have constrained the construction of housing, including labor shortages, land and materials expenses, and, more recently, high capital interest rates.
The result is like a game of musical chairs. If you don’t have enough chairs, some people are left out, and the cost of the available chairs goes up.
When there’s a shortage of homes, some people are forced to double up (maybe by living in their parents’ basements), and others experience homelessness. Many others settle for something much smaller, or farther away, than they’d like.
The solution is simply more housing — of all kinds. Even luxury, expensive units help, because the people who move into that housing open up homes for others. In fact, new homes will typically be more expensive than existing homes, but the new supply is critical. But if we can build more affordable new units, that’s even better.
So how do we stimulate more housing? That also has a simple answer: make it cheaper and easier to build. One key factor is government regulation, or zoning.
National research is clear: There is a strong correlation between strict zoning regulation and housing affordability. Areas with higher regulation tend to have lower permitting activity as well as higher prices. The converse is also true — less regulated markets often have more affordable homes.
Of course, most zoning regulations exist for a reason, so we should target reforms for those regulations that have the highest impact on cost and the lowest public benefit.
Luckily, national research, local stakeholder discussions and Utah public opinion all point to the same three reforms: allowing smaller lots, allowing more units on the same lot or in the same building (e.g., a duplex, town home, or basement apartment), and allowing the highest densities in mixed-use centers, which are places with housing, shopping, jobs and other destinations arranged close together in a walkable design.
Utah has made some progress in decreasing required lot sizes, but we’re still, at about 10,000 square feet per new lot, far higher than where the market would go in the absence of zoning regulations. Putting the exact same home on a 5,000 square foot lot rather than a 10,000 square foot lot can reduce the home price by 22%, while doubling the number of new units built. Yet, of 35 local governments that were sampled in a recent Envision Utah study, only nine allow lots less than 7,000 square feet in any single-family zone. The result is that starter homes are essentially illegal.
Builders have developed very attractive new homes with multiple units in the same building, in many cases designed in a way that looks like a large single-family home. These types of units form excellent starter homes for young families that start building equity. Yet this type of housing product is permitted by-right in less than 22% of zones that were surveyed.
Finally, areas with jobs, retail and other destinations are excellent places for higher-density housing like condos, apartments and smaller town homes, particularly when there’s good public transportation nearby. Not only does this kind of design reduce traffic impacts, it also makes it much more feasible for residents to get by without a car or simply by driving less. Yet less than half of local government codes that were surveyed allow any type of housing in commercial zones.
Envision Utah recently released a comprehensive report on housing affordability in Utah with 13 recommendations for zoning changes that will help put more housing within reach of more households.
Changing zoning alone won’t solve the housing affordability problem, but it’s a clear step we can — and should — start to take.
Ari Bruening is the president and CEO of Envision Utah, a nonprofit that facilitates discussion to identify solutions to Utah’s growth-related challenges. He has almost 20 years of experience in land use planning and zoning.
The housing affordability crisis in Utah has reached a critical point, with a staggering 76% of Utahns unable to afford a median-priced home.1 Housing costs, both rents and sales prices, have been increasing much faster than wages across the state.2 If current trends continue, up-and-coming Utahns will not have the same opportunities as prior generations to enter homeownership, have adequate space or financial capacity for a family, and build wealth. Conditions during the COVID-19 Pandemic may have exacerbated housing affordability issues, but the trend of rising housing costs began as Utah emerged from the Great Recession and has continued due to the disparity between housing demand and supply. Between 2010 and 2020, Utah led the nation in population percentage growth. Demographic factors, primarily the maturation of young Utahns but also strong in-migration, fueled a historic surge in housing demand. Housing starts rebounded from the Great Recession as local governments approved a record number of new housing units, although workforce shortages and high land and material costs impeded additional construction.3 Some of Utah’s urban markets are beginning to face land and water constraints, further contributing to supply woes. Housing demand has generally outpaced development, leading to a shortage of housing units in the state. Utahns rate housing and cost of living as a top priority, but consider it the worst performing public issue.4 In the face of housing scarcity, Utahns compete for available housing Background 1.5% 0.4% Annual home price increase in U.S. Utah household annual income growth 3.3% (since 1991, adjusted for inflation) SOURCE: “Building a Better Beehive,” Utah Foundation
Q: Why don’t we just stop growing?
A: Much of the demand for new housing in Utah is home-grown—our own kids. In addition, it’s not clear how we could stop growth without making Utah an undesirable place, since it’s our high quality of life and strong economy that attract people and keep our kids here. Stopping building housing will just drive prices up without stopping growth until Utah gets so expensive that it’s no longer a desirable place to live. As a case study, between 1960 and 1980, Los Angeles effectively downzoned the city in an attempt to stop growth, reducing the city’s population capacity by 60%. The city still grew by almost one million people since 1980, but the growth spread out farther than it otherwise would have, and now only 2.2% of homes in the metro area are affordable to the median-income household, resulting in the highest number of overcrowded homes in the US.24
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 5:40 PM
Development Current Projects and interactive maps
The link below will show all the projects in the pipeline, this website is insanely helpful!
Enjoy the learning, they did amazing at keeping us in the loop.
Clearfield City and UTA have teamed up to create a plan for the site that will best utilize the transit station and create a great place in Clearfield.
Not only will the FrontRunner Train connect Clearfield residents to the rest of the Wasatch Front, but the development of this site has the potential to be a vibrant hub of activity and excitement that connects Clearfield residents to each other. This area will be a mix of uses with a large commercial, retail, and office space with a park, more office spaces, and additional residential units.
Check out these stats!
There will be approximately 67,500 sq ft of commercial space
There will be approximately 550,000 sq ft of office space
The project covers 56+ acres of property
The proposed park will be approximately 2.25 acres
The project includes nearly 2 miles of new roads, including bike lanes and walkable paths
There will be 1,000 residential units constructed as townhomes and apartments
This project utilizes a low-impact design for improved stormwater quality
The landscaping utilizes drought-tolerant and sustainable plants
The cost of construction of the horizontal infrastructure (roads, utilities, park, landscaping, etc.) will be $28 million
Where is it at in the Process?
The Groundbreaking Ceremony was on April 25th, meaning the project is underway!
This project will be built in phases over several years. The first and current phase includes building the roads, walkways, utilities, and landscaping. After this phase is complete, our development partners will begin building the structures.
Contact
For any questions regarding The Clearfield Station Development project, email PR@clearfieldcity.org.
Recent changes to the Utah State Code require amending the station area plan to address a wider service area and to include options for affordable housing and other similar elements. This planning effort will revise the existing Station Area Plan to meet the new state code, while verifying the established vision for Clearfield Station.
The Lakeside Square Development Project is a mixed-use development located on the west side of Mabey Pond. The project will be built in two phases, the northern section, and the southern section. Construction will begin on the northern section fall of 2023 and last through 2026. The southern section is still in the process of design and will be built in the future (5+ years out).
The northern project area includes:
26,500 sq. ft. of commercial space
296 residential units
16,500 square feet of community space (a walking path, beach, kayak launch, plaza/event area, an art plaza, and open space).
Realigning a network of heavy freight rail, regional commuter rail and Amtrak in an underground train box on the west side of Downtown would free up 75 acres of developable land in the capital city.
It would also cost $3 billion to $5 billion, according to the analysis commissioned for the city and obtained by Building Salt Lake through a public records request.
Initial estimates put the cost at around $300 million to $500 million, meaning the estimate is up to 10 times higher for the 4.2 miles of what would be a 178-foot wide “train box” located 38 feet below ground, according to the analysis by engineering firm Kimley Horn.
The estimated price tag doesn’t just include putting rail underground. It also includes the dozens of properties — mostly existing rail properties — that would need to be acquired. It includes the 13 new intersection caps, four new bridges and updates to existing utility lines. It outlined other costs not considered in the initial citizen-led plan that led to the study, known as the Rio Grande Plan, which the city has taken seriously enough to commission the study.
The Kimley Horn report is also preliminary and didn’t include a total analysis of the engineering and construction would that would need to be done to complete the plan.
Still, it included the most in-depth information to date about the potential costs and benefits for carrying out the Rio Grande Plan, whose backers have gained enough momentum to host city and transit officials at an upcoming event on Dec. 14 to discuss the plan.
Carrying out the RGP would lead to the creation of $1.9 billion in new taxable value after the development of office, commercial and residential buildings that would occur, according to the analysis.
Even so, the report may create more headwinds for a plan that has garnered an impressive amount of attention from policymakers.
The 121-page report didn’t make any recommendations about the plan, but it did highlight a few hurdles. It noted that Union Pacific Railroad, for example, sees significant challenges and almost no upside in participating in the plan.
The study was remarkable in that it was borne out of a citizen-led plan. The Rio Grande Plan authors are transit advocates and urbanists who want to revitalize the historic Rio Grande Depot, improve the transit entrance to the capital city’s Downtown, and vastly expand the footprint of Downtown, all of which would simultaneously minimize the barriers between the city’s east and west sides.
The paid for the study as part of an ongoing attempt to minimize the east-west divides the existing rail and highway infrastructure creates in Salt Lake City.
Christian Lenhart, engineer and author of The Rio Grande Plan
Christian Lenhart, one of the plan’s authors, noted that the plan intends to both improve transportation and heal divides caused by rail and highway infrastructure between the east and west sides of the city.
“What the Kimley Horn report shows is that a version of the Rio Grande Plan is feasible, that it can fulfill the city’s stated goals, and that it would cost approximately the same as other major infrastructure upgrades along I-15 and at the Airport,” Lenhart said.
For context, the Utah Department of Transportation plans to widen Interstate 15 from Downtown Salt Lake City to Farmington, which it said recently would cost about $4 billion.
Widening interstates doesn’t come with the likely economic returns that would be generated by what would likely be a frenzy of development in the Depot District if the Rio Grande Plan were carried out.
The train box envisioned by the plan would put rail underground between 1300 South and 300 North.
It would restore the Rio Grande Depot as the central hub for regional and local transit. The historic building would become a high-capacity transportation hub located at the doorstep to Downtown rather than the lethargic Salt Lake Central Station that exists a block west.
But the report makes clear that carrying out the plan would be an engineering and political feat, and it’s still unclear who is prepared to step up and lead the effort.
Key issues
Union Pacific, a private company operating in the area for over 150 years, remains a significant impediment.
While the company’s rail yard at 400 South is being used far less than it used to as the company favors sending trains to the Roper yard five miles south, it would still need to find a replacement yard if the one at 400 South was removed.
The plan also envisions spacing UPRR’s train box tracks 25 feet apart from other transit tracks, whereas the company prefers its tracks to be 50 feet away.
Moving Union Pacific tracks underground would go a long way to preventing the at times hour-long backups its trains create on a daily basis, blocking residents from getting to the east or west sides while they wait for the trains to clear from at-grade crossings.
While the company appears to have conceded moving its operations underground would help minimize the east-west divide, it doesn’t see an upside in cooperating with the RGP.
“UPRR stated that they do not foresee significant benefit to UPRR from the RGP concept,” the report said. “They consider their current right-of-way alignments to be in the ideal location and do not have plans to incur costs associated with relocating track and yard areas.”
Another freight rail provider, Patriot Rail, recently received a grant to relocate its train box at 1000 West South Temple, which represents a boon for the west side unrelated to the Rio Grande Plan, the study suggests. Patriot Rail will be vacating its existing South Temple yard.
Building the train box would create impacts to a range of existing apartments, condos and businesses near 500 West, including the Gateway Mall.
That alone is likely to create more opposition to the plan as the Gateway undergoes a decade-long attempt at revitalization and its owners and tenants could view the project as another hurdle.
There are also ecological issues to consider.
To make sure transit didn’t incur untenable delays while operating underground, the city or state would need to redirect groundwater flows away from the train box or risk creating water unspecified water issues for the rest of the city, the study said.
UTA and UDOT
The Utah Transit Authority also identified a range of issues related to its design requirements, grade of rail within the train box and proximity of stations between each other after they’re rebuilt.
UTA hasn’t been supportive whatsoever of the Rio Grande Plan and is pushing forward with its plans to rebuild its headquarters west of the Rio Grande Depot.
UDOT is another impediment, and the study wasn’t able to quantify how big an issue the highway-obsessed state agency could be.
Kimley Horn didn’t analyze whether the proposal to shorten the herculean UDOT off-ramps at 500 South and 600 South were feasible, possibly because the firm said it didn’t talk with representatives at UDOT.
The Rio Grande Plan backers originally pointed to successful efforts in other cities to estimate costs and benefits for burying rail and opening up vast swaths of land for redevelopment and public benefit.
But the Kimley Horn study found the costs in Salt Lake City would be much higher than in those cities.
It’s not clear why the estimated costs are so much higher than Denver’s similar effort, which created a bustling Union Station and revitalized the entire surrounding neighborhood.
Denver’s project, completed in 2014, would have cost $645 million in 2023 dollars and freed up 42 acres for redevelopment.
Another project in Reno that freed up 100 acres of land for development cost $450 million in 2023 dollars.
It’s not clear who would own and maintain the train box, a concern that was raised by Union Pacific Railroad officials who were interviewed for the Kimley Horn report. That fact, along with even the constructability of the project, require more review, Kimley Horn wrote.
Still, “based on stakeholder discussions, UPRR does not have expressed interest in owning or being responsible for the maintenance of the train box.”
That leaves the city, state, UTA or some newly created transportation authority as the likely parties responsible for owning and maintaining the train box.
Olympics boost?
During an announcement Wednesday that Salt Lake City was the official front-runner to host the 2034 Winter Olympics, officials said that President Joe Biden had provided a guarantee for the U.S. host city.
That likely means cash would be available should it be needed.
Online, transit advocates suggested winning the bid could make it more likely that the Rio Grande Plan was carried out ahead of the games.
Still, Kimley Horn notes that using federal funds for even part of the RGP would mean following the National Environmental Policy Act, which could slow it down and open it up to litigation.
Kimley Horn’s cost estimate of $3 billion to $5 billion includes a 30 percent contingency for unknown items.
Lenhart said he was hopeful city and state leaders would look at the plan’s wide range of potential benefits.
“I am hopeful that the upcoming study period will show that the city’s version of the Rio Grande Plan is the most effective way to eliminate barriers, improve public safety, and upgrade our transit infrastructure,” Lenhart said. “I have not seen any alternative plans that can accomplish all of those things at once. The costs, though higher than those of our comparison projects in Denver and Reno, are still worth the indisputable benefits of the Plan.”
The Ballots are in, as you can see every voice matters! It was a very close race. Thank you for allowing me to represent you for 2024! Dakota and Nike will also be working towards a greater vision for Clearfield.
Please email your priorities to me at Ratchford@mail.com. I will add them to my action list as we look into the new year.
Thank you again for your vote, I am grateful for this opportunity!
Megan
Check out the other elected officials at the link below!
Tuesday is Election Day nationwide — but not in Utah.
Instead of being held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, the date for Utah’s general municipal elections was moved to Nov. 21, just two days before Thanksgiving,
The shift, which also included moving the primary election date from Aug. 15 to Sept. 5, was made by the Utah Legislature in June to accommodate a special election in the 2nd Congressional District for the remainder of former Rep. Chris Stewart’s term.
Stewart, the longest-serving of Utah’s four all-Republican members of the U.S. House,, announced in May he would step down due to his wife’s health concerns as soon as “an orderly transition can be ensured.” His resignation was effective Sept. 15.
The race for Stewart’s seat, between Republican primary winner Celeste Maloy, who served as the congressman’s legal counsel, and state Senate Minority Whip Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, is the biggest to be decided.
Maloy, a public lands attorney, and Riebe, a school teacher, both said making Congress work again was a priority in their sole, subdued televised debate last month. The sprawling 2nd Congressional District includes all or part of 13 of the state’s 29 counties.
Across the state, voters will choose mayors and city council members in nonpartisan municipal races, decide local ballot issues and, in a dozen cities including Salt Lake City, try out ranked-choice voting.
Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman said the 2nd District race, which affects about 125,000 voters in the county, does appear to be attracting more interest to the off-year election.
So is the race for Salt Lake City mayor, pitting the incumbent first-term mayor, Erin Mendenhall, against a former mayor, Rocky Anderson, and a small business owner, Michael Valentine.
The three squared off in a fiery debate last month. with Anderson and Valentine criticizing Mendenhall and her administration for being too involved with homeless camp abatements, while the mayor said the city is doing more than ever for homelessness.
We’re seeing a lot of early ballots being mailed back already,” Chapman said, an indicator voters have been paying attention and have already made up their minds, although because the election is so close to a holiday, she said it could be they’re “just trying to be proactive.”
County clerks around the state have been hearing from voters who weren’t aware of the new Election Day and thought their ballots had arrived late, said Weber County Clerk/Auditor Ricky Hatch, who heads the clerks’ committee that lobbies lawmakers.
“Everyone’s busy between Halloween and Thanksgiving and it’s just another thing to think about. We’re just so used to having Election Day be early November,” Hatch said. “It has caused a little bit confusion for voters.”
Ballots for the election were sent out on Halloween and should now all be in the hands of voters, he said, “so it’s not like they’re going to forget to vote ... or even forget that there’s an election. At least they have a physical reminder.”
Because Thanksgiving is the same week as the election this year, the hope is that voters will return their ballots sooner rather than later, he said, so that clerks and their staffs will be able to enjoy their holiday meal and Black Friday shopping, too.
“That’s going to be our absolute heaviest ballot processing time, including Election Day,” Hatch said. “We’re going to bust our chops Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and hopefully get everything processed as of Wednesday night, everything that we have in hand.”
The legislation approved by Utah lawmakers appropriated $2.5 million for the special congressional election, mostly to reimburse counties for any additional costs as well as $400,000 for voter outreach.
November 14-17 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Early voting is available in person at the Davis County Administration Building for those wanting to participate with that format. There will also be a drop box available at that location.
December 1 starting at 10:00 a.m., Davis County Administration Building Room #202 – Post election audit. The public is invited to attend.
there will also be drop box locations throughout the County. Clearfield has a drop box for ballots at the Library across the street from the Main Street Post Office.
Friday, October 13, 2023 2:48 PM
Utah, with a shortage of over 61,000 homes
Utah, Idaho among top 10 states with most ‘severe’ housing underproduction
Housing market shortage sharpens in suburbs, small towns, report says
A new report issued Thursday found the U.S. housing shortage has “accelerated” in suburbs and small towns —a shift from earlier findings that revealed a housing crisis primarily centered in U.S. coastal and urban areas.
In order of severity, here are the top five states with the most severe housing underproduction, according to the report:
California, with a shortage of over 881,000 homes
Idaho, with a shortage of over 42,000 homes
Utah, with a shortage of over 61,000 homes
New Hampshire, with a shortage of over 31,000 homes
Oregon, with a shortage of over 87,000 homes
Utah actually made a sizable dent on its housing shortage in 2021, according to more local estimates, bringing it to 31,000 in 2021 compared to about 56,800 in 2017.
However, as homebuilding activity contracts amid today’s high mortgage interest rates, researchers now expect Utah’s housing shortage will worsen, likely to increase to over 37,000 units by 2024.
It’s also worth considering that even though states like Utah and Idaho continue to have a housing shortage problem like other states across the U.S., they’re also among the top states that have built the most housing over the past decade. Their housing shortages are largely due to the fact that they’re among the fastest growing states in the nation.
"A housing market that meets the needs of workers and families is a foundation for inclusive economic development, financial stability, and wealth-building opportunities."
When trying to understand Utah, there are multiple ways of looking at it. The history of Utah goes back further than just its founding in 1896. Indigenous tribes have called this area home for centuries. Millions of years before that, dinosaurs roamed the area. Utah is inextricably linked to the LDS Church and the Mormon pioneers who entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Utah’s unique climate and topography play a role in how it is viewed.
Here are five maps and some history to better understand the Beehive State, both its past, present and future.
Five Indigenous tribes map
When Utah updated its state flag, it included a five pointed star meant to represent the five historic Indigenous tribes that continue to live in Utah. These include the Ute, Diné (Navajo), Paiute, Goshute and Shosone. While their historic tribal lands encompassed the entire state, current reservation boundaries for the tribal nations take up a fraction of what used to be their lands. Utah is home to approximately 60,000 Native Americans from over 50 Tribal Nations (eight of which are federally recognized).
The Northwestern Shoshone (pronounced shuh-show-nee) is based in northern Utah and southern Idaho. Related to the Paiute, Bannock and Ute people, they all call themselves Newe or Neme, meaning “The People.” Before contact with Europeans, they formed small extended-family groupings and traveled extensively as semi-nomadic hunter/gatherers. The Shoshone were once called “So-so-goi,”which means “those who travel on foot.”
The Goshute (pronounced go-shoots) are part of a larger Shoshonean-speaking group. The name Goshute derived from the native word “kuisutta” meaning ashes, desert or dry earth. While the Goshute have been living in the Utah area for over 1,000 years, they were living in the desert regions to the southwest of the Great Salt Lake when the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley.
The Northern and Southern Ute (pronounced yoot) are thought to have arrived in the Great Basin territory around 500 A.D., absorbing the preexisting Fremont people. They became the largest group of people in the area over the next 500 years, stretching from Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. They acquired horses around 1637, making them the first Native Americans to introduce horses into their culture.
The Paiute (pronounced pie-yoot) have their ancestral lands anchored in southern Utah, southeastern California, northern Arizona and southern Nevada. Scholars mostly agree that the Paiutes entered Utah about 1100-1200 A.D. The first contact between Utah Paiutes and Europeans occurred in 1776 when a 10-man exploration team lead by two Franciscan priests named Father Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Father Silvestre Vélez de Escalante encountered Paiute women gathering seeds (That exploration team became known as the Dominguez and Escalante Expedition). During the 1940s to 1960s, the Paiute Indian Tribe was targeted for termination by the federal government as part of the Indian termination policy. This ended not only the U.S. government’s recognition of tribal governments and tribal lands, it terminated federal support of most health care, education programs, utility services and police/fire departments on tribal reservations.
The Navajo (pronounced na-vuh-ho) people traditionally refer to themselves as Diné, (pronounced din-neh) meaning “the people.” While archeological evidence doesn’t reveal when the Diné first came to the Four Corners area, it is thought it was between 200 - 1300 A.D., with the Navajo mixing with the ancient Anasazi and Pueblo people. The Navajo played a major role in World War II as code talkers. Around 400 Navajo Marines would send and receive messages in their native language, a language that baffled the Japanese. They developed a dictionary for military terms that had to be memorized during training. Navajos could encode, transmit and decode a three-line message in 20 seconds, something that took machines 30 minutes. The Navajo code talkers were honored for their contributions to the war effort in 1992.
Utah also carries a history of atrocities against its native people. Aside from forcing Indigenous people off their ancestral lands, eight native boarding schools and dormitories were built in Utah. These schools took native children from their parents and homes and forced them to live in boarding schools where their hair was cut, they were forced to wear uniforms and forbidden to speak their native language. The idea behind these schools, which existed all over the U.S., was to assimilate native children to the “white” culture. Richard Henry Pratt, who opened a boarding school in 1879 in Pennsylvania, famously said the schools would “kill the Indian in him and save the man.”
Untold horrors took place at these schools, including physical and sexual abuse, malnutrition, forced labor and epidemics. There is no official total how many children died at these schools. Unmarked graves continue to be found at the old sites.
(Freeworldmaps.net) Map of Utah mountains. Link: https://www.freeworldmaps.net/united-states/utah/utah-mountains-map.jpg
Topographical map
When it comes to the topography of Utah, you’ll be hard pressed to find a state with more variety. We have mountains, deserts, lakes and red rocks, as well as things unique just to Utah.
There are dozens of mountain ranges within Utah. In northern Utah, one of the most prominent is the Wasatch Mountain Range (pronounced wah-satch), which is part of the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains. The name comes from the Ute tribe and means “mountain pass” or “low pass over high range.” It consists of about 160 miles from the Utah/Idaho border to central Utah and its canyons provide critical watersheds for cities’ drinking water. Nearly 85% of the state’s residents live within 15 miles of the Wasatch Mountains in what is called the Wasatch Front. Its highest peak is Mount Nebo at just under 12,000 ft elevation. It was also host to many of the skiing events during the 2002 Olympics and has numerous ski resorts up and down its range.
The Uinta Mountains (pronounced you-in-tah) are one of the few mountain ranges in North America that run east to west and are the highest range in the contiguous United States that do so. Located in the eastern part of the state, it has the highest point in Utah at King’s Peak (13,528 ft). Scattered throughout the mountain range are over 1,000 natural lakes, half of which support game fish. There are over 400 miles of streams. In contrast to the deserts surrounding the range, the area gets huge amounts of snow and temperatures above 10,000 feet rarely get above 80 degrees.
In southern Utah, the La Sal Mountains rise over 8,500 feet and offer impressive views of its neighboring redrock Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Its highest point is Mount Peale at 12,721 ft. The range mostly consists of three cluster peaks with passes in between.
Traveling down from the mountains in southern Utah, you’ll encounter stunning redrock views. While it’s called “redrock,” the sandstone can be red, yellow, brown and orange. Aside from their striking color is their unique formations called hoodoos. These mushroom-shaped rocks are caused by erosion of the relatively soft sandstone. The most impressive of these can be found in Bryce Canyon National Park and in Goblin Valley State Park, which features some of the largest hoodoos in the world.
Another unique geological feature to result from the prevalent sandstone are naturally occurring arches in southern Utah. Also created by erosion, the most famous of these is Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. The 52-foot freestanding arch is the most widely recognized landmark in the state and is depicted on Utah license plates. The trail leading up to the arch is one of the most popular in the national park.
Combining the beauty of the redrock with the blues of lakes is Lake Powell in southern Utah. Officially called the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Lake Powell is an artificial reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona. It is the second largest artificial reservoir behind Lake Mead. A dam was completed in 1963and the Colorado River began filling up Glen Canyon, a feat that took 17 years to reach capacity at 3,700 feet. The dam creates hydroelectric power for surrounding areas, while the water provides recreation. In 1983, the dam nearly failed due to so much water flooding down to the lake due to record breaking snow falls in the areas that feed into the Colorado River. However, starting in 2000, a megadroughthas caused the lake levels to drop dramatically.
Monday, October 9, 2023 8:16 PM
Clearfield City’s fall events and programs
Click the links below to see the events coming up in Clearfield!
New Homeownership Assistance Program to Launch in Davis County
New Homeownership Assistance Program to Launch in Davis County this Month
In recognition of the dramatic increase in home prices across the state, the Davis County Commission is proud to announce the creation of a new homeownership assistance program. Utilizing $1.8 Million of Federal funds, this initiative aims to assist low-to-moderate income families overcome the unprecedented challenges to homeownership, enabling them to purchase a home that they might otherwise not be able to afford.
Launching Monday, October 16th, income-qualified individuals and families interested in buying a home in Davis County can apply for a homeownership assistance loan of up to $50,000. These loans can be used for any combination of principal reduction, permanent interest rate buy down (up to $10,000), and/or up to 50% of the required down payment and closing costs. The loans will require no payments and will be repaid to the County (with an additional 1% interest) when the home is sold or refinanced for an ineligible reason. This program can be coupled with other State and Local homeownership assistance programs.
Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-qualified basis and must be submitted through the Neighborly online platform. Once the program is live, applicants will create an account onNeighborlyand select "Davis Homeownership Program" to initiate their application.
For any questions or further inquiries about the Davis County Homeownership Assistance Program, please contact Davis County Community & Economic Developmentat or [tel://+1801-451-3251]801-451-3251 orhomeownership@daviscountyutah.gov
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 12:32 AM
PreParedGo Resources and History Where our water comes from!
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 12:21 AM
A Bolder Way Forward for Utah _ Excited to Learn More!
National and statewide studios continue to show that women and girls in Utah are not thriving in critical areas. It’s time for Utah to embrace A Bolder Way Forward, a sever year statewide movement aimed at helping more women and girls thrive.
ABOLDERWAYFORWARD.ORG
Thursday, September 28, 2023 9:29 AM
APA Fall Conference 9-28/29 2023
APA UTAH & IDAHO’S 2023 FALL CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 28-29TH
APA Utah provides vision and leadership for the future development and re-development of Utah communities. We are the state affiliate of the American Planning Association and have over 500 APA members statewide. Our members work in long-range planning and development review; in master planning, as well as site planning; in transportation planning, land use planning, historic preservation, recreation and federal lands planning, environmental planning, urban design, legislative and policy work and in many other capacities related to the overarching goal of the American Planning Association – “Creating Great Communities For All”.
Planners from Utah and Idaho will descend on Ogden this September for APA Utah’s 2023 Fall Conference. With two days of presentations addressing both urban and rural planning needs, the Fall Conference highlights content for professional planners, citizen planners, and elected officials. Topics include everything from planning ethics and preservation to transportation, housing, and inclusion. Mobile tours will also provide case studies in planning and environmental developments in the Ogden area.
APA Utah’s mission is to
Encourage and foster the principles of visioning and planning for a better future
Provide a wide range of educational opportunities for professional planners, citizen planners, and others involved in shaping our communities
Represent APA Utah Chapter members in matters related to the national organization of the American Planning Association
APA Utah provides for networking and sharing of ideas, dissemination of relevant information, and promotes and supports research and publications related to planning, community development, policy and other related subjects. APA Utah furthers the purposes of the American Planning Association.
APA Utah provides leadership in the development of resilient, inclusive, sustainable and equitable communities for all by supporting and promoting excellence in planning and public policy, providing opportunities for professional development and education, providing tools and training for our citizen planners and public officials, and empowering all who work to protect and enhance the natural and built environment in Utah.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 12:16 PM
Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for the Wasatch Front area - Aug Notes
Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) is preparing a regional Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP), which will present a holistic, well-defined strategy to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the Wasatch Front region. The intent of this plan is to provide local governments the means to make strategic roadway safety improvements. The CSAP will analyze safety needs, identify high-risk locations and factors contributing to crashes, and prioritize strategies to address them, and will meet eligibility requirements that allow local jurisdictions to apply for Implementation Grants from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.
There are several purposes for this Launch Meeting:
Introduce the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan project, and how stakeholders can be involved in preparation of the CSAP.
Review desired outcomes which include identifying and prioritizing strategies to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the Wasatch Front Regional Council area.
Establish a foundation for a future “Regional Safety Commitment” to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Learn how local jurisdictions can apply for roadway safety improvement funds.
Thursday, September 7, 2023 7:56 AM
2023 ULCT Annual Convention Salt Palace Sept 7th.
9/7/2023. This has several sessions that I am excited to get to know better for our community.
A few take ways and a great quote from ULCT
“Cities Can Plan for Housing, But Cities Do Not Build Housing”
A great example : The weather is cooling down and you decide to throw a potluck in your backyard. You tell your friends that they should bring s dish and invite other friends.
To prepare for this potluck, you set up several tables and chairs and set out various types of dish ware and cutlery. You think, “I hope I have enough plates for everyone and have the correct serving utensils…” But you come to realize that the number of attendees and dishes they bring are beyond your control, despite your preparations.
Cities currently plan for housing, but do not build the units that will help close the housing gap.
Housing developers often base their decisions o numerous factors, such as market demand, profitability, and feasibility. When these factors are not ideal, developers may wait to build already entitled units. For example: one city reported to ULCT that they have entitled 3,300 units of various sizes in 2015, but construction on these units did not begin until 2023.
Essentially, cities have invited developers to their development “potluck”, but cities cannot control which type of housing developers want to build or if developers show up with applications. Cities have no control over land costs, supply chains, labor shortages, inflation or interest rates.
Opening remarks from Spencer J Cox Governor of Utah, followed by series of presentations. Topics range from Guiding Our Growth with Laura Hanson, State Planning Coordinator, presentations from Rep. Stephen Whyte, Brian Steed, Leif Elder, and Watsatch Choice Vision from WFRC’s Andrew Gruber joined with the South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey
Agenda
Sessions
9/7/23,
Opportunities in Ordinances: How Utah Cities Implement Innovative Policies
Partners In Planning General
How to Engage With Military Families - The 5 “E” of Engagement
Enlistment - veteran celebrations, Meet the Recruiters, School Principals for enlistments
Education - March to Success - The current enrollment rate is under 1% out of college. This is extremely low. Take cookies to the recruitment centers
Expertise - celebrate achievements, ask them for speaking positions and guest speaker events; Create a news article or social Media post highlighting Amazing AF members.
Extenuating Circumstances - email your local recruitment office to reach out to deployed or soon to be deployed soldiers
Reach out to Wreaths Across America Program - this service needs volunteers to make wreaths for soldiers gravestones. Reach out to funeral directors who know connections with veterans, Create events to celebrate patriotic Programs and reach out to your national Guard offices for items they ay need volunteers for.
ULCT is working collaboratively with The Utah State Legislature; Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (GOPB); The AOGs - (BRAG,WFRC, MAG, Uintah Basin, SEUALG, 6 County, and 5 County); Utah City/County Management Association (UMCA); and other stakeholders.
Learn more at www.ulcer.org/LAA
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 11:26 PM
Some feedback from the Clearfield Survey -More to Come
Improving Quality of Life for Our Service People and Their Families
BY ABRAHAM TINKLEPAUGH
Megan Ratchford began her career in the hospitality industry 21 years ago in Pennsylvania and she’s currently a General Manager at Tru by Hilton Clearfield Hill Air Force Base.
As a testament to Hilton’s commitment to the community, this game-changing hotel has been rated in the top 1% in the nation for guest satisfaction by the Hilton Corporation.
“Tru by Hilton is independently franchised by the Woodbury Corporation and the Hunt Companies,” said Ratchford. “Both are fantastic organizations, and I am proud to be part of their story. It’s a wonderful culture, different from anything I’ve ever been part of before. They genuinely engage in our community and Hill Air Force Base.”
Megan participates in the Top of Utah Military Affairs Committee with the Davis Chamber of Commerce Committee supporting military relationships in order to improve the quality of life for our service people and their families. Tru by Hilton enjoys working with military spouses to provide career opportunities at the hotel.
Megan is also a Planning Commissioner for Clearfield City and in her off time, she loves hiking, mountain biking, and ax-throwing.
Speaking to others wanting to work in hospitality, Ratchford said, “Authenticity and patience are key. And, remember to always challenge yourself, and continue to learn.”
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:08 AM
Utah Growing Water Smart
Community Workshop | June 6-8, 2023 Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Utah State University’s Center for Water Efficient Landscaping, Western Resource Advocates, and the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, a center of the Lincoln Land Institute, will welcome teams and provide a workshop overview.
PLANNING FOR WATER RESILIENCY IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE WATERSHED
Throughout the United States West, planning for resilient and sustainable water supplies occurs across multiple disciplines and professions, government scales, and public-private collaborations. The panel speakers will share insights on the context of interdependency and integration in how the State of Utah is responding to projected future water supply challenges in light of the state’s growth and increasing climate uncertainty.
– Brian Steed, Utah’s Great Salt Lake Commissioner and Director of the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air, Utah State University
– Laura Vernon, Great Salt Lake Basin Planner, Utah Division of Water Resources
– Timothy Hawkes, General Counsel and Vice Chair of the Board of Great Salt Lake Brine
Shrimp Cooperative, Inc.
INTEGRATING LAND AND WATER FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Communities can play a role in regional ground and surface water management by integrating water conservation, efficiency, reuse, and nature-based approaches into their development plans and policies. John Berggren from Western Resource Advocates will provide an overview of the tools and strategies that can help your community achieve water resilience and introduce technical experts available throughout the workshop.
NEEDED CONVERSATIONS FOR INTEGRATED LAND AND WATER PLANNING
Panel members will discuss conversations and collaborations that led to successful water- smart approaches to designing the Rock Loft Ridge Estates Subdivision and implementing the Smart Water Sprinkling Program in Fruit Heights, Utah. They will also reflect on lessons learned that have broader applicability to water-smart growth challenges in the Great Salt Lake Watershed of Northern Utah. Workshop participants will have a chance to ask questions and contribute to the discussion.
– John Pohlman, Mayor, Fruit Heights, Utah
– Matt Lowe, Developer, Lowe Companies
– Jon Parry, Assistant General Manager/Strategic Initiatives, Weber Basin Water
Conservancy District
This work session will focus on the water-smart enabling environment in your community. Review land use changes/transitions occurring in your community, evaluate how existing land use policies and tools are being used to promote sustainable water resource management, and explore options you could pursue from the Water Smart Toolbox. Teams will discuss:
● Whatareourgrowthanddevelopmenttrends?
● Whereareproblemareasforlandusedevelopmentandwaterresources?
● Whataretheplansweusetoaddresswater/landuse?
● Whatareissuesthatarenotaddressedincodeorpolicy?
● Whatarethebestopportunitiesandstrategiesthatwillhelpusbecomemorewater
smart and what goals/outcomes/strategies does the team want to pursue?
TOUR AT THE USU GREENVILLE RESEARCH FARM
Tour at the horticultural section of the USU Greenville Research Farm located at 1857 North 800 East in North Logan, Utah. Led by Kelly Kopp, faculty and staff of the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping will talk about research activities related to water-efficient turfgrass and landscape plants and advances in irrigation techniques, all of which support Utah’s waterwise landscaping transitions.
BUILDING A SHARED VISION AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Using policy and behavior change insights and examples, Joanna Endter-Wada from Utah State University will share the importance of building shared vision and community support for collective action strategies needed to Grow Water Smart. Focus on developing a collaboration and communication strategy that can help to reframe people’s thinking and garner support for change.
RESOURCES FOR GETTING TO ACTION
Presentations will focus on a wide range of resources available to help communities with their water-smart growth planning.
– Chelsea Benjamin: Utah Growing Water Smart resources including technical assistance – Candice Hasenyager & DWR Staff: resources from Utah’s Division of Water Resources – Kristen Keener Busby: Growing Water Smart Peer Network
– Faith Sternlieb: Internet of Water Initiative of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
– Gretel Follingstad: NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System – Victoria Arling: resources from the WaterNow Alliance
Last Portion is CREATING A TEAM ACTION PLAN - Here are some Highlights below
What is your community’s overall growth trend? Are you growing, stable, declining, or perhaps shifting in some way?
Clearfield City is growing. The current population estimate for July 2022 is 34,062 people. Between July 2020 and July 2022 the population estimate growth is by 6.71% for an absolute growth of 2,142 people. In comparison, from 2010 to 2019 the estimate of population growth was 6.91% for an absolute growth of 2,077 people. Clearfield has grown more in the last two years by absolute growth than the previous ten years. Clearfield has since significant development growth with urban living in apartments and townhomes within the last five years. Moderate growth with single-family residential uses has also been seen. Sited from : Census.gov
What demographic changes are taking place in your community?
Is your population growing, declining, diversifying, getting younger, aging?
What is your population growth rate?
The population is growing: with a growth rate of 6.91% from 2010-2019 and 1.08% from 2020-2021.
Where are you growing, and how?
Where is most new development locating?
What are the most frequent types of development applications?
Most of the new development in the city is concentrated along the State Street corridor as part of the downtown revitalization efforts. This includes mixed-use developments, apartments, townhomes and some commercial uses. The other concentration area of new development is the Clearfield Frontrunner Station. This mixed-use area will include apartments, townhomes, mixed-use buildings, commercial buildings, offices, and parking structures. There are other pockets of medium to high-density housing in a few other areas of the city, but the majority is focused at these two locations. Single-family residential development is primarily occurring in north and south along 1000 West.
- How would you characterize your water supply? If known, provide a percentage breakdown of the sources of that supply.
This past year 85% of our total water usage was surface water from Weber Basin, and 15% was pumped from our groundwater wells.
- How do your water provider(s) engage with land use planners to project future water demands?
Weber Basin Water Conservancy District generally engages with its customer agencies to project future water demands as updates are made to the District’s Supply and Demand Study. This engagement generally consists of presenting the historic study, the need for an update, an overview of the scenarios that will be evaluated and an explanation of the information that will be requested from the customer agencies. Most recently these requests have come in the form of a “workbook” that is pre-populated with known water right, source volumes, populations and a request for any supplemental information via community general plans, etc. that will assist in ensuring this effort is robust and reflective of actual planning efforts
Below are some resources if you are interested in programs and knowledge on the current water environment.
Christian Lenhart, engineer and author of The Rio Grande Plan
