There have been a lot of comments about how the population growth of our state has affected us. My main concern is water. Utah has always been listed as a very desert state. With the increased population — a high proportion of which have come here because our Legislature has been giving financial incentives to bring new businesses into the state — a major concern of our Legislature is now focused on finding ways to make water more available for public use without draining our Great Salt Lake, etc.
Yes, our legislators have succeeded in creating the best economy in the nation. But because so many new businesses have located here, even our developers have been challenged to keep up with the housing needs. And we have been watching our desert state’s limited water supply being threatened by high tech companies and the many new apartment complexes.
This might be selfish. But when I moved to Utah many years ago, there was enough water and land in some places for people to own large yards with grass and gardens. What I am seeing now is a movement to not just require property owners to better use their water rights, but to give up some of their water rights. Why should a landowner have to give up some of his/her water rights just because too many people have been lured into our state by our Legislature’s actions, with no regard as to whether or not there is sufficient water available?
We do need developers, but there comes a point when some of them are more concerned about making personal financial gain than they are about the quality of life and basic life expectations of the people who came here at an earlier time.
And the high growth hasn’t just been affecting water availability and housing. It has made it more difficult for people to find camping spots in the mountains in the summer, and to find a place to ski in the winter.
I am an old person. But most of my children live in the valley, so I don’t plan on leaving the state. I will sell my home to one of my children for a reasonable price. But I don’t feel good about how hard it will be for my grandchildren to find affordable/livable homes.
So that is how I feel about Utah’s rapid growth.
Fred Ash, Sandy