The Utah Inland Port Authority has moved forward quickly with a plan to build a massive inland port complex, despite the objections of local officials in Salt Lake City.
Morgan Baskin reports on concerns surrounding plans for a massive "inland port" proposed in Utah:
The thousands of acres of muddy fields adjacent to Utah’s Great Salt Lake are still barren and quiet. But the site, formerly a landfill and long eyed by state lawmakers for development, has become a flashpoint for Utahns concerned about the future of their state’s economy.
The Utah Inland Port Authority will release a business plan for the 16,000-acre complex this spring, according to Baskin, so details are still scarce while the stakes are high. Baskin writes: "More than just a vision for the port, it’s a crack at urban planning that grapples with a key tension: How should states that boast distinct, fragile geographic features, like the Great Salt Lake, leverage them to keep building, and how far should legislatures go to protect them?"
Legislators voting to move the project forward have been accused of rushing the political process to start the project. Opponents, like then-Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, have called the state's approval of the project a "land grab."
FULL STORY: Questions surround Utah’s hastily passed inland port
Planning Through the Eyes of a Big City Mayor
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall joins the Planning Commission Podcast to talk about housing, street reconfiguration, and saving the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere.
Shrinking Great Salt Lake Is a Ticking Time Bomb
Climate change and population growth are shrinking the Great Salt Lake. The environmental consequences are dire.
Buslash in Salt Lake City
New bus routes planned for Salt Lake City have provoked a vocal political opposition.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research