Stephanie Gricius, a member of the Eagle Mountain City Council, discusses this growth. Stephanie feels that, “We’ve been running as fast as our feet will carry us for years but now we’re to the point of reevaluating our options as our infrastructure, mainly transportation, is approaching capacity.”
The issuing of permits for building and the development itself helps the city in several ways. Development requires workers. Those workers need to travel to the construction site, and spend time in Eagle Mountain to complete the development. These workers then see what Eagle Mountain has to offer them, as well as have the opportunity to partake of the services the City offers. Development also increases the cities population. Those new residents pay property tax, and sales tax, which in turn also helps the city provide infrastructure, and amenities.
Eagle Mountain has seen a huge increase in growth from 2015 to 2016. In 2016 the number of building permits increased by half the number issued the previous year, including a 100% increase in commercial permits.
The city has also seen a large amount of growth over the last few years in the number of inspections the building department has completed.
But growth can also cause growing pains for the city. If the infrastructure cannot keep up with the growth, it can cause friction between the residents, developers and the city. The city is constantly playing a balancing act to keep the infrastructure in step with the residential and commercial growth.
Colby Curtis, a member of Eagle Mountains City Council, discusses the growth issue. “If you’re going to have difficult issues to deal with in a city, I can’t think of a better one than growth. We are thriving and that’s wonderful. It means Eagle Mountain is a great place to live and on a good path. That path also creates unique issues that have to be addressed. Working to keep up on roads, staffing, and quality of service all come into play. Currently, Eagle Mountain has a handle on this, though as we move into the future, I perceive one of two things must happen: we either have to scale up government operations to meet this demand and ride the growth, or make specific policy decisions designed to soften the boom. While either option has its downsides, both must be considered.”
Note: Data Supplied to Cedar Valley Sentinel (formerly i84005) by the City of Eagle Mountain via GRAMA request. Cedar Valley Sentinel (formerly i84005) thanks the city for supplying the data to us to share with residents.
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.