The area known as the "Greater Wasatch" runs from Brigham City in the north, to Nephi in the south, and from Park City in the east, to Tooele in the west. The most recent census, taken in 1995, put 1.6 million people in that area. By 2020, that population is supposed to grow to 2.7 million people.
And by the year 2050, just 52 years from now, the Greater Wasatch should be home to five million people.
Community leaders are gathering information and public opinion about how we want to shape our future lifestyle. News Specialist Shelley Osterloh reports.
For the past year and half, a community group known as Envision Utah has held dozens of meetings with citizens and community leaders to gather information about what we want our future to be.
John Fregonese, Consultant, Envision Utah: "YOU LOOK DOWN THE ROAD, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE AND CHOICES... AND PICK A PATH TODAY, THAT WILL BRING YOU TO A FUTURE YOU WANT TO LIVE IN."
The Wasatch Front is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, but there are physical limitations: land, water, air quality.
Community leaders say, if we don't plan our growth, we may lose what we like about Utah lifestyle.
"YOU HAVE TO DO THIS KIND OF PLANNING OR WE ARE GOING TO RUN INTO SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD."
Stephen Holbrook/Exec. Dir. Envision Utah: "IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL WE WILL, OVER THE NEXT FEW DECADES, WE WILL PRICE OURSELVES OUT OF BUSINESS. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES, THE TAXES WILL BE TOO HIGH, PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOMES."
Envision Utah is drafting four different possible future scenarios... examining different choices such as housing.
Do future Utahns want to live in large residential subdivisions, small nieghborhood villages, or dense urban cities? Those choices determine the kinds of transportation we need -- highways or mass transit-- and the kinds of open space we enjoy.
Envision Utah plans to present the alternatives, costs and benefits to people along the Wasatch front.. and gather opinion.
"WHEN WE GO TO THE PUBLIC.. THIS ALTERNATIVE WILL GIVE YOU THIS MUCH MORE TIME IN TRAFFIC, THIS MUCH MORE OR LESS AIR POLUTION.. THIS MUCH MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND THIS MANY MORE DOLLARS IN TAXES. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, I LIKE THIS.. IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAY THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO GET THAT."
"AND CERTAINLY AS THIS AREA LIVES WITH DECISONS MADE BY BRIGHAM YOUNG, AND THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS, THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE HERE THROUGH OUT THIS PROCESS WILL CERTAINLY AFFECT THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME."
Next January, Envision Utah will present a massive pulic awareness campaign, and present those alternative scenarios to the public.
Public feedback will help form a "Prefered growth scenario" that can serve as a along term guide to growth.