This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As our population increases dramatically over the next decades, we need to get tools in place to respond to the changes in volume and diversity that these people will bring to the Wasatch front.
I watched with interest the developments over this past spring as Snowbird struggled to resolve issues with its event-specific liquor licenses for Brewfest (with a five-year history) and Oktoberfest (a more than 40-year history). I believe these situations with Snowbird, and other denied liquor permits, illustrate the growing pains that we as a city and our entire state are starting to see.
A new study by the Utah Foundation is projecting that "Utah will not only double its population by 2050, but it will be more diverse and increasingly urban." The increase will be from 2.9 million to 5.4 million residents. The Salt Lake City Planning Staff is anxiously trying to shape and prepare for the increase in residents. One tool that will aid in this population growth is the Downtown Master Plan, which is currently in a draft form (http://www.downtownplanslc.com). One of the visions of this document is to increase and encourage, lively and unique events and activities in downtown.
In order for this to be a viable option in the future of our city, other neighboring cities, or venues in the canyons, organizations cannot be expected to deal with the uncertainty that expressed itself these past few months. There needs to be a clear path with all of the different entities cooperating: building and planning, health department, liquor board and such. The process for a short term or temporary event must be streamlined. It should not be as cumbersome as building a permanent facility or the establishment of an ongoing business.
We need to get these tools in place so that as the population increases we are not regularly stuck in a bottleneck of legislative interpretation and selective enforcement. Sen. Mark Madsen suggests that lawmakers should re- examine the state's control of liquor sales, stating that, "We need to look at the issue of having the state as the sole purveyor of spirits in the state."
Perhaps the state might convey authority of issuing short term liquor licenses to our cities and counties when specific predetermined criteria is satisfied, such as requiring a cultural element to an event, having no negative impact on the air quality or favoring an event which includes our disabled neighbors, who are often inadvertently excluded. As the population changes, so do the needs and wants of our citizens. We need procedures which will allow us to easily respond and adapt.
"The demographic changes over the next few decades will require additional planning efforts relating to our aging [and disabled] communities," states Mallory Bateman, a Utah Foundation research analyst. Now is the time to get the tools organized and get the kinks worked out. Our willingness to collaborate and listen to one another are the keys to discovering the solutions.
It is an exciting time to be a resident of the Wasatch Front.
Marie Pate Taylor is a Salt Lake City Planning Commissioner, an advocate for the disabled community and a member of SheJumps.