How do YOU think Utah should grow?

The "Guiding our Growth" survey is now live! This survey gives everyone in Utah the chance to weigh in on how to preserve a great quality of life amid the state's rapid growth. Take the survey to be a part of the conversation on important issues like housing, water, transportation, and open space and recreation.

This survey was created after listening to thousands of Utahns from all around the state and then working with many, many partners to understand our options for the future.

Interested in sharing your thoughts with us? Click the link below to take the survey!

Understanding the Future of Water

Our annual Spring Breakfast featured an expert panel with Teresa Wilhelmsen, Timothy Hawkes, Tage Flint, Warren Peterson, and our moderator, Theresa Foxley!

They shared insights on snowpack, spring flooding, and the role of farming in Utah’s water planning. See below for highlights.

Question: Does the record-breaking snow pack from this past winter mean we're in the clear from years of drought?

Panel Remarks: Not quite. Tage Flint pointed out that there will always be wet years and dry years. One wet year doesn’t mean we don’t need to be wise water stewards. We all must conserve our water and use it responsibly.

Question: As today’s pioneers, what does the future of water infrastructure need to look like? 

Panel Remarks: Teresa commented that it is easy to manage the things we can see, like our state reservoirs. But groundwater is much harder to see and measure, making it more challenging to manage. Tage reminded the audience that it's not just important to build new infrastructure but also to replace old infrastructure.

Question: What needs to be done to preserve the Great Salt Lake?

Panel Remarks: Tim Hawkes shared great insights on the ecosystem of the Great Salt Lake and its implications on brine shrimp and migratory birds. Long-term sustainability was also discussed using research findings from local universities.

Question: What role does agriculture play in the smart use of water?

Panel Remarks: Water is key to agriculture. Warren Peterson shared facts and figures regarding the integral part that farmers play in our economy and in providing our food. The entire panel agreed that not just one group is responsible for the future of water, but rather our communities and individuals should take a "seat at the table" to work together.

Interested in hearing more questions and answers from our panel discussion?

Watch the entire event via our YouTube

channel! 🍿

Celebrating our Early Childhood Partners

This month we honored the work and dedication of our early learning partners (now over 100 and counting) at the annual Early Learning Breakfast!

We had a wonderful panel featuring Aimee Winder Newton, Janell Cerva, and Ben Gibbs. Here's some of what they shared:

• There's a lot to do! The first few years are a critical time of life for Utah’s kids, and we all have a role to play in ensuring they’re prepared for school, friends and life.
• We should always be asking whether everyone has access to the early childhood support they need. Is childcare affordable? Is early childhood learning accessible? Who might be left out? And what should we do to help them?
• What young children experience will have impacts that reach far beyond those individual children when they are small. Those experiences impact parents and family. And they impact those children throughout their lives and, in turn, the whole community. When our youngest are thriving, the future is bright!

Many thanks to Lakeshore learning who sponsored some fun giveaways, as well as The Bezos Family Foundation.

Want to help us host next year’s event? Reach out to sarah@envisionutah.org for details.

Know any high schoolers? Send them this survey!

Nationally and here at home, too few high school graduates are pursuing any kind of higher education. We want to help change that and ensure a bright future for everyone. To do that, we are trying to understand the challenges and barriers that Utah students face when they think about college. Envision Utah spent the last several months developing a survey for high school students that will help us better understand the factors that influence students’ post-high school decisions so we can better encourage or facilitate greater post-secondary achievement. 

All Utah high schoolers are invited to participate in Envision Utah's survey! And to sweeten the deal, eligible participants can then enter to win an iPad Pro, Nintendo Switch, or one of a handful of restaurant gift cards at the end of the survey.

In the news

KSL TV

As Utah continues to grow, new challenges are presented that threaten the our quality of life. Envision Utah, with the help of many partners, have launched the "Guiding our Growth" survey. Key topics covered in the survey include housing, water, transportation, open space and recreation. The goal of the survey is to include every voice in Utah, including different age groups, racial or ethnic groups, socioeconomic status, and more. The survey has unique questions depending on the zip code of the participant, ensuring the results will help policy makers make informed decisions for each part of Utah.

The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah will continue to grow. The development of housing, use of water supplies, transportation, open spaces and recreation use are some of the leading topics that need to be addressed. In order to do so, Governor Cox launched a new survey called “Guiding our Growth” to gather the public’s wants and ideas on how Utah should grow. “Utahns can take the quick scenario-based survey — built and sponsored by Envision Utah and other regional planning agencies — through Aug. 31.” Visit guidingourgrowth.org to participate or learn more. The survey is available in English and Spanish.

Deseret News

In the United States, Utah is ranking as No. 1 in economy and in growth. However, opinions still differ on whether the state should continue to grow and how. “A study by Envision Utah found that only 26% of residents believe we should try to slow growth by slowing economic development and not approving new housing developments, while 44% think trying to stop growth will only undermine our economy and drive up the cost of housing.” Recommendations to recruit companies to Utah, supporting workforce programs for underserved populations, and securing infrastructure bills could assist the state in economic development.

For 25 years, Envision Utah has brought Utahns together to tackle some of the biggest challenges related to growth — and you have made that happen. But whether we’re talking about air quality, water use, transportation, education, disaster resilience, or a host of other issues, there’s more work to be done. When you support Envision Utah, you’re helping to create a bright future for our state.

Thank you for your support!