Pent-Up Demand
Still,
the wetlands are a vital part of the hemispheric flyway—the most
traveled migratory bird route in the northern America—where 5 million
birds live, feed, breed and rest. Some 250 species of birds use the
shorelines of the Great Salt Lake, according to Friends of Great Salt
Lake.
“We go to great lengths to preserve our foothills, but the ecological loss of this land is probably more impactful than developing the entire foothills and slopes visible on the Wasatch mountains,” Simonsen says.
The argument in favor of development is that it’s inevitable—a kind of mini- Manifest Destiny.
“The Northwest Quadrant is an example of an area that is already attached to an existing core with favorable characteristics and a dramatic lack of housing and services, suggesting potential ‘pentup demand,’ ” the 2008 report states. Of course, much of that pent-up demand is coming from “significant landholdings controlled by a limited number of entities with similar goals,” that report states. In other words, the LDS Church.
And as Christensen says, if Salt Lake City doesn’t grow in the northwest, developments will continue to sprout outside of the city.
The master plan certainly seems keen on the possibilities. “For many master plans, implementation is decades away. For the Northwest Quadrant, however, development of the new mixed-use community could begin within the next several years. One of the first steps will be the rezoning of properties from holding zones to the appropriate zoning category.”
Can the city prevent development in the area? It would be difficult to, say, deny water or sewer connections, the 2008 report says, because the quadrant is “contiguous” to the city.
No doubt it’s difficult, too, because of the “significant” landowners.
The City Council should be considering adoption of the master plan—in the works since 2006—in the next few months. A council working group including Christensen, Simonsen and Stan Penfold has been discussing the issues in closed sessions. Check the City Council Website for updated information at www.SLCGov.com/Council.
Wow.. humanity is showing itself as a parasite once more.
What exactly is the point of this article? To lambast the LDS church just because? To fault them because they are a large landholder? How can you call yourselves journalists? If you are going to write an opinion piece, you should at least have the honestly to label it as such.
Not developing isn't an option. People have children and those children need places to live. The question of course is where to develop. Does it make sense to develop this particular area? I'm not sure it does, but for people who complain about the LDS church's business arms trying to make money, it isn't obvious that they are trying to do anything but be responsible citizens. If you don't want this developed, come out and say so, and Carlton just doesn't have the power to do it all on his own. Just accept the fact that if we need to preserve this open space, there is open space in Eagle Mountain and Toole, so people aren't going to be forced to rent more high density housing from existing landowners on the East side, so quit pretending that is an option.
Wow. Not even a pretense of objectivity?
I don't suppose no growth would be considered by anyone, even though more water and clean air aren't in the picture? And wasn't there a review of expanding the airport runways going on? If you let people build houses near ranching and airports, inevitably you will get demands to abate the nuisances from the new homeowners. And since they have a vote, they will be listened to. Land by the airport should be zoned no housing. Unstable land should be zoned no housing. Use your heads, people!
If only the Church would advocate one course or another.
Then we could all react angrily.