Case Study:

Envision Utah

Context

Growth in Utah

When a random sample of Utahans were asked in an open-ended question in January 2000 what the most important issue facing Utah today is, 27 percent, more than any other topic, identified growth. Growth has held this top position in 16 of the past 17 quarterly surveys asking this same question (Utah, 2000). Figure 1 shows recent and projected population and employment growth in the Wasatch Front Region, which is the metropolitan region in which Salt Lake City is located.

Figure 1. Population and Employment Projections, Wasatch Front Region

Source: Utah Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, 2000.

Beginning in 1995, the state government initiated explicit and formal efforts to address the growth concerns of the public. The Growth Summit, a jointly sponsored effort of the Governor and Legislature, was held in December of 1995. Over 60 proposals suggesting ways to manage the state's growth were submitted. The Summit resulted in a 10-year transportation improvement plan. Based on this plan, the state is now in the process of rebuilding previously unfunded core highway infrastructure in the state. The Summit also resulted in development by the state of growth-related data sources and technical analysis methods, to support the evaluation of alternative growth scenarios.

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