No pun intended, but growth is a growing problem in Utah. According to a recent Deseret News/KSL-TV poll conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, 61 percent of Utahns believe things have gotten worse in the past year in terms of congestions and the other factors related to an increasing population.
The solutions vary depending on who is asked. Envision Utah, think tanks and local government entities all have their own ideas of what needs to be done. What is lacking is leadership. It is appropriate and wise to engage in debates over how much open space should be set aside for future generations and the makeup of various local municipalities. But at some point, talk needs to turn to action. The governor and the Legislature need to be much more pro-active regarding Utah's future.Usually, government at the grassroots level is a good thing. But growth affects all communities in an areas as dynamic and interwoven as the Wasatch Front. To let dozens of local cities and counties set their own agendas is to invite a helter-skelter approach that leads to an inconsistent patchwork. That lack of cohesion is evident throughout the Wasatch Front.
A healthy tomorrow for Utah requires effective and coordinated planning today. According to projections, the 10-county area from Nephi to Brigham City will triple in population in the next 50 years, growing from 1.6 million to 5 million. To put it in more easily understood terms, that would be like cramming 15 people into a home that today comfortably houses a family of five.
It therefore becomes imperative to have wholehearted cooperation between local and state leaders. Gov. Mike Leavitt and the Legislature are the ones who must take the lead in supplying the vision and commitment to deal with the challenging growth issues.
Obviously, what best suits Salt Lake City may not be what's best for Brigham City or Farmington. But there are growth principles regarding housing, business development and transportation that are applicable to all, and it makes little sense for one city to adopt policies that are the opposite of those in a city next door. Communities can integrate planning into a regional concept while still maintaining a local identity and control.
Groups like Envision Utah are doing a good job laying out the possible paths and increasing public awareness, even though a recent poll shows few people are paying attention. But there is only so much that can be accomplished through analysis. Decisions must be made, and the governor and Legislature need to be the ones leading the charge.