Guiding Utah’s growth is a marathon rather than a sprint, and much work is still needed. However, Utah state and local leaders are actively using the Guiding Our Growth Survey results to help shape budget and policy decisions aimed at guiding growth in a way that preserves Utah’s great quality of life for future generations. Local cities and towns across Utah are working to implement the kind of communities Utahns have requested, and the Utah Legislature has implemented dozens of impactful policy changes and appropriations.
Details about these decisions, designed to address general growth impacts as well as effects on housing, water, transportation, and open space, are included below.
General Growth Impacts
You spoke. The Guiding Our Growth survey showed that many Utahns are concerned about the impacts of growth, but the vast majority don’t want to restrict new development.
We listened. Read below to learn about general policy changes aimed at helping guide Utah’s growth.
This resolution encourages state agencies, local governments, and private partners to consider the holistic impacts of various planning decisions and programs on housing, transportation, air quality, open spaces, economic development, water conservation, etc.
$140K Land Use Training Fund Grant – For Mixed-Use Centers Imaging
Wasatch Front Regional Council will partner with other organizations and use this grant to develop detailed 3D digital images, renderings, and data related to mixed-use centers. Mixed-use centers are areas with a variety of destinations, like businesses, schools, housing, and recreation, in close proximity. The images, renderings, and data will illustrate positive impacts of growth and assist local leaders and planners in visualizing and analyzing growth and/or redevelopment within their respective communities.
$250,000 – Housing Capacity, Infrastructure, and Market Analysis
This appropriation funds a study of the capacity of Utah’s existing build-out areas to absorb additional growth. The study will consider regulatory, infrastructure, and market constraints on development potential and will be used to guide future regional development pattern planning discussions.
$1.65M Ongoing, $1.58 Ongoing – Technical Assistance to Local Governments
These appropriations increase the capacity of the state’s seven regional Associations of Governments to provide technical assistance to local governments in updating their plans, ordinances, and other tools to help navigate the pressures of growth and maintain quality of life in their communities.
This is an overview of the wide variety of bills passed by the Utah Legislature during the 2024 Session to address the impacts of population growth.
Housing
You spoke. The Guiding Our Growth survey showed that most Utahns want a variety of housing options and price points.
We listened. Read below to learn about policies intended to help create a variety of housing options and price points.
$200K Land Use Training Fund Grant – For “Missing Middle” Housing Toolkit
Mountainland Association of Governments will partner with other agencies and use this grant to create a Utah-specific “Missing Middle” Housing Toolkit. This resource will provide educational materials and tools to help local governments explore and expand housing options, particularly in the more-affordable “Missing Middle,” which refers to townhomes, duplexes, fourplexes, and row homes.
Roy City – Zoning to Encourage Housing Variety and Affordability
Roy is located in Weber County a few miles west of Ogden. Recent zoning changes allow new development in its downtown near the Roy FrontRunner Station. Regional destinations in this newly-zoned area encourage more affordable housing and a variety of housing options around retail, dining, and entertainment amenities.
Clearfield City – Leveraging Grants and Tax Credits for Sustainable Housing
Clearfield is a regional center for manufacturing, governmental, and commercial facilities. Redevelopment has focused on attracting new jobs and workforce housing in the downtown area and leveraging Community Block Development Grants and Low Income Housing Tax Credits to provide affordable and sustainable housing options. Hundreds of new housing units near the Clearfield FrontRunner Station will offer easy access to transportation options.
Millcreek City – City Center Housing
A largely built-out suburban community, Millcreek has focused in recent years on creating a mixed-use, transit-oriented city center at the heart of the community. This new city center allows for a broad mix of land uses, including multi-family residential housing near a public park, trails, and public transportation access.
North Salt Lake – Walkable Community Housing
North Salt Lake has focused on creating a town center along the main road through town, Highway 89. Its new walkable town center has created new office, retail, and housing next to the city’s largest park and city hall. New townhouses now line Highway 89, revitalizing stretches of this key boulevard.
This new program, designed to help more Utahns enter homeownership, provides first time homebuyers with a $20,000 grant that can be used toward a downpayment, interest rate buy-downs, or closing costs. Homes must be new builds and priced $450,000 or less.
HB 572 – State Treasurer Investment Amendments
This will allow the state to partner with private banks to make public funds available on a short-term basis to developers to incentivize the construction of Utah First Homes (small lot, detached, single-family homes). It moves $300 million in state funding that would have been invested elsewhere to instead augment private lending for “starter home” construction for the next three years.
SB 268 – First Home Investment Zone Act
This bill creates a new tool for local governments to incentivize the permitting and construction of Utah First Homes (small lot, detached, single-family homes). This tool allows cities to access property tax growth increments in order to finance infrastructure within the new First Home Investment Fund (FHIZ) areas. Click here to access a more detailed summary of the bill.
$3M – Law Enforcement First Time Home Buyers
This appropriation directs funding towards a program to support law enforcement professionals in purchasing their first home.
$4M – Shared Equity Revolving Loan Fund
This appropriation will provide access to affordable home ownership through a shared equity model for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. The program is for first-time home buyers, active military, and veterans. This funding is to be matched by equity and debt with current commitments in excess of $150 million. This one-time money will be converted to an ongoing revolving loan fund to provide financing for housing for low- and moderate-income Utahns (using an AMI test) in a shared equity model.
$1M – Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy
This appropriation provides funding for Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy, a Utah nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing for first-time homebuyers, workforce housing, and housing stock in general for Utahns.
SB 168 – Affordable Building Amendments
SB168 creates another new tax increment financing tool for local governments for smaller projects through a new Home Ownership Prosperity Zone (HOPZ). It also modifies the State’s Building Code to allow for off-site construction (modular homes) and brings new, more affordable housing products to the Utah market.
HB 476 – Municipal Land Use Regulation Modifications
This bill focuses on the housing needs of people making less than the area median income. It clarifies what cities can regulate in terms of back porches, sidewalks, and landscaping requirements. It also provides funding for the Olene Walker Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Funding and updates requirements around municipal Moderate Income Housing Plans.
HB 465 – Housing Affordability Revisions
This bill streamlines local building permitting and approval processes in order to speed up the construction of new homes and helps address the housing shortage that is driving up home prices in Utah.
HB 13 – Infrastructure Financing Districts
HB13 creates a new tool to finance infrastructure investments associated with new development. This bill allows landowners to create new Infrastructure Financing Districts in order to access less expensive public bond markets. The debt would be retired as each home in the development is sold.
Water
You spoke. The Guiding Our Growth survey showed that most Utahns want proactive water conservation and shared responsibility.
We listened. Read below about policies recently enacted to help work toward proactive water conservation and shared responsibility.
$80K Land Use Training Fund Grant – For Integrated Water and Land Use Workshops
This grant was awarded to Growing Water Smart, a multi-agency effort led by Utah State University, for multi-day workshops providing region-focused education and implementation resources to help communities integrate water and land use planning and support a more sustainable water future for Utah.
$1.2B – Investments in Water Conservation and Supply
The Utah Legislature has invested significantly in water supply and conservation over the last four years, in addition to several impactful policy changes.
$3M ongoing, SB 118 – Water Efficient Landscaping Incentives
Under this legislation, Utah homeowners and landowners are eligible for “turf-buyback” rebates when retrofitting their landscapes to be more waterwise. The rebate program is administered by the state’s water conservancy districts and funded through contributions from both the state and the water districts.
This bill requires a study of funds that could be used to finance water projects and a study of whether or not to impose a state water fee. It requires the Water Development Coordinating Council to develop a prioritization process for water infrastructure projects, creates the Water Infrastructure Fund, and appropriates $2.5 million for future infrastructure projects.
This creates a new Water District Water Development Council to jointly plan for generational water infrastructure and advances responsibly addressing water users’ generational need for adequate and reliable water supplies. The appropriation will fund assessing water needs based on population growth and economic development, identifying possible sources of water, exploring physical interconnections and operation of water infrastructure, and determining the impact of water conservation.
$10M – Great Salt Lake Investments
This appropriation will provide the Great Salt Lake Commissioner with additional resources to procure water leases and develop other strategies to restore the Great Salt Lake.
$170,600 – Great Salt Lake Split-Season Least Project
The Great Salt Lake Strategic Plan identified voluntary water transactions, such as agricultural optimization, split-season leases, and seasonal leases as tools to increase flows to Great Salt Lake. This allocation will be used to develop pilot projects and a handbook to assist farmers who wish to participate in one or more of these voluntary transactions.
$2M – Great Salt Lake Watershed Measurement Infrastructure
This appropriation will provide the Division of Water Rights the necessary funding to install additional stream flow and water diversion gauges and collect critical water data within the Great Salt Lake watershed. Ongoing funding would be passed through to the United States Geological Survey for maintaining their stream gauges.
$3M – Water Rights Data Management Improvements
This appropriation will enable the Division of Water Rights (DWRi) to address the issues identified in an audit report. Funding will be used for additional permanent and time-limited employees and hardware and software needs.
$9M – Cove-East Fork Virgin River Watershed Project
The Cove-East Fork Virgin River Watershed Project includes the construction of an off-stream reservoir to increase and maintain a reliable supply of water for local agricultural use and existing storage needs, enhances existing irrigation systems, increases water conservation, offers additional water-based recreation opportunities, and improves water delivery efficiency for the Upper Virgin Watershed in Kane County and for existing and future water demands in Washington County.
$5M for an Ogden Canyon Water Line
This appropriation will help fund the replacement of a 36-inch water transmission line down Ogden Canyon. The line is 6.4 miles long and 90 years old. A similar project in 2013 replacing a 24-inch line down the canyon conserved three million gallons of treated water per day.
$55M ($5M State, $50M Federal) – Water Savings Program Seed Money for Great Salt Lake
This funding will be seed money to help leverage federal Inflation Reduction Act dollars to address management issues related to the Great Salt Lake.
SB 204 – Condominium and Community Association Amendments
This bill requires that homeowners’ associations adopt water wise landscaping rules including: low water use on lawns during drought conditions; water wise landscaping design; and limiting permissible plants to water wise plant material. The bill clarifies that HOAs may not prohibit low water use on lawns during drought conditions.
HB 11 – Water Efficient Landscape Requirements
HB11 prohibits local entities, schools, and highway authorities within the Great Salt Lake Basin from installing, maintaining, or using overhead spray irrigation on landscaped areas that are not used for active recreation.
HB 62 – Utah Water Ways Amendments
This bill adds to the responsibilities of the nonprofit Utah Water Ways (established in the 2023 General Session) to coordinate with the State Board of Education to create standards-aligned resources and professional development opportunities related to the water cycle, Utah’s water systems, how water is used in Utah, and ways that Utahns can use less water. These resources and opportunities will be designed for select grades in kindergarten through grade 12 of the public education system.
Transportation
You spoke. The Guiding Our Growth survey showed that most Utahns want the ability to get around safely by car, transit, walking, and biking.
We listened. Read below about local and state policy updates designed to help give more Utahns the ability to get around safely by car, transit, walking, and biking.
Midvale City – Development with Transit and Trail Access
Midvale is a diverse community of vibrant, distinct neighborhoods located in the center of the Salt Lake Valley and connected to the region by I-15 and UTA TRAX light rail. It focuses on mixed-use development around the Bingham Junction, Fort Union, and Center Street TRAX stations to increase job opportunities, housing choices, and other amenities around these transportation crossroads. Midvale also developed the Mid-Valley Active Transportation Plan to enhance bicycle and pedestrian connections that will give residents a safe choice if they want to walk or bike to major destinations.
North Ogden – Land Use Integrating Transportation and Housing
North Ogden, located beneath the slopes of Ben Lomond Peak, is devoted to a walkable downtown and connected transportation routes. Its citizen-driven General Plan Steering Committee advocated for community amenities within walking distance of housing and the intentional integration of land use, housing, and transportation.
West Valley City – Town Centers with Walking and Biking Access
West Valley City has emerged as more than just a bedroom community of Salt Lake City. It has implemented centers, including the Hunter and Fairbourne Stations, to increase access to transportation options and community amenities. Active transportation, including walking and biking, has also been prioritized to provide residents with more transportation options.
$55M One Time, $45M Ongoing – Active Transportation Statewide Trails Network
This appropriation, and accompanying legislation, creates a dedicated funding source for the development of a network of paved, multi-use trails designed to create new opportunities for Utahns to travel throughout the state without the need for a car.
HB 488 – Transportation Funding Modifications
This bill includes several significant provisions, including: 1) Redirects $45 million in funding to the Transit Transportation Investment Fund (TTIF) for FrontRunner investments, 2) Provides funding for specific projects from the County of the First Class (Salt Lake County) Highway Projects Fund, 3) Creates the County of the First Class Infrastructure Bank Fund (CFCIBF) to be used for new infrastructure needs, and 4) Allows 3rd-6th class counties to impose a 0.30% Local Option Sales Tax for transportation and/or public safety purposes.
$50M – Point of the Mountain Transit Stop
This appropriation funds the construction of a new FrontRunner stop at The Point, the former Utah State Prison site.
$5M – Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility
This appropriation funds the construction of a new bus garage to support the Cache Valley Transit District’s public transit system.
$500,000 – Power District Transportation Study
This appropriation will fund a study of the transportation impacts of significant proposed redevelopment around the State Fair Park and former Rocky Mountain Power property along North Temple and the Jordan River in Salt Lake City. The study will develop and evaluate technical options while considering future economic, market, and transportation conditions of the area. It will also support future consideration of development options and community engagement.
HB 430 – Local Government Transportation Services Amendments
HB430 allows local option sales and use tax revenue and Transit Transportation Investment Fund money to be used for public transit innovation grants within the UTA service area. It also requires grant recipients to report on the use and progress of public transit innovation grant operations, and it requires UTA to provide a report to each municipality regarding expenditures, transit service, and ridership utilized by residents.
HB 85 – Electric Bike Amendments
This bill clarifies the definition of electrical assist bicycles to help reduce user conflicts and safety concerns.
Open Space
You spoke. The Guiding Our Growth survey showed that most Utahns want to preserve and expand open space and recreation within and around communities.
We listened. Read below about policies recently adopted to help preserve and expand open space and recreation within and around communities.
$52K Land Use Training Fund Grant – For Short-Term Rental Education Course
Utah State University will use this grant to create an online course designed to empower local government officials with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively regulate, manage, and leverage short-term rentals within their jurisdictions. The course tools will be especially pertinent to communities that serve as gateways to national and state parks, which are uniquely impacted by tourism and travel activities.
Farmington City – Historic Site Preservation
Farmington, nestled in Davis County north of Salt Lake City, is located near Interstate 15, Legacy Parkway, the FrontRunner commuter rail line, and UTA’s bus network, not to mention numerous bike and pedestrian paths. As many areas of Farmington grow, the city continues to preserve open space for the enjoyment of all. One example is the historic Richards Grist Mill and surrounding grounds, which the city purchased in spring of 2023.
Perry City – Design Standards Promoting Green Space Conservation
Perry has focused on building upon its agricultural heritage amid population growth through thoughtful planning and zoning choices, conservation of green spaces, preservation of historic buildings and orchard land, and beautification of existing roads and neighborhoods. Design standards have been an important tool to leverage, especially when balancing growth with maintaining community charm and character.
HB 90 – Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Amendments
This bill expands the list of eligible uses of the Outdoor Adventure Infrastructure Restricted Account to include: 1) the costs associated with bringing new construction or upgrades of outdoor recreation infrastructure into environmental compliance, 2) strategic planning related to the development of outdoor recreation infrastructure, and 3) facilitating avalanche safety forecasting to protect the public in relation to outdoor recreation infrastructure.
$1M – LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund
This appropriation would support the purchase of conservation easements on working agricultural properties to keep them in production and the open space preserved in perpetuity.
$18.5M – Wildlife Resources Land Purchase (Morgan County)
This appropriation will preserve open lands in Morgan County for wildlife and outdoor recreation. The acquisition will safeguard the historical Mormon Trail, and will increase camping, hiking, and other family-friendly activities within the vicinity of East Canyon State Park in Morgan.
$840,000 for the Butch Cassidy State Monument Trails
This appropriation will be used for trail development and other infrastructure improvements benefitting off-highway vehicles in proximity to the Butch Cassidy State Monument.
HB 360 – Outdoor Recreation Amendments
This bill permits the Division of Outdoor Recreation to accept private funding and labor for the maintenance of outdoor recreation infrastructure.
HB 236 – Sales and Use Tax Modifications
HB236 authorizes a rural county to use revenue generated from the imposition of the rural
county health care tax to mitigate the impacts of visitors within the county including: 1) emergency medical services, 2) solid waste disposal, 3) search and rescue activities, 4) law enforcement activities, 5) fire protection services, and 6) avalanche forecasting.
HB 488 – Transportation Funding Modifications
This bill includes several significant provisions, including adjusting funding going to the Cottonwood Canyons Transportation Investment Fund (CCTIF) from a specific dollar amount cap to a percentage. This is anticipated to result in approximately $23 million in revenue for this fund in 2024 and $25 million in 2025.