“In the story of Eagle Mountain 2021 will go down as the perfect ending to our first quarter century it will also be notable for how it set the tone for the next quarter century.” This is the beginning of the Eagle Mountain State of the City 2022 which was released by the city on March 10, 2022. The Mayor talks about the city’s accomplishments during 2021, as well as what the City has planned for 2022.
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In the story of Eagle Mountain 2021 will go down as the perfect ending to our first quarter century it will also be notable for how it set the tone for the next quarter century. I’m Tom Westmoreland and it is an honor to once again address the residents of Eagle Mountain. As your Mayor this community celebrated its 25th anniversary in December that’s 25 years of growth, 25 years of change, 25 years of progress. To highlight Eagle Mountain has braved covid 19 and weathered an historic drought. We have attempted to keep a rural feel while attracting residents and industry. We have made enormous strides in the areas that are important to our residents lives 2021. Had a little bit of everything and we’re hoping to capitalize on that momentum heading in to 2022.
The past several years Eagle Mountain has approved thousands of residential permits 2021 was no different this past year our staff oversaw the approval of more than fourteen hundred residential building permits. Leading to an estimated five thousand new residents. The city expects that trend to continue in 2022 adding to the estimated 51,000 individuals that already call Eagle Mountain home. New residents mean new businesses. We saw good progress on the construction of the Facebook now Meta data center. Welcomed Tyson’s new processing facility to the community and announced that Google has acquired land in Eagle Mountain with plans to construct a large data center that will contribute jobs and keep Eagle Mountain regionally competitive. Major employers are certainly a boon but we don’t want to overlook some of the other businesses that have opened locations in the community. Including First University Federal Credit Union, Cascade Collision, the relocation of Eagle Mountain Counseling, and the progress of the new Macey’s.
I also wanted to highlight all of the new restaurants with plans to locate here and serve our residents for years to come with new residents and new businesses. Eagle Mountain is making investments in infrastructure like never before Pony Express Parkway saw the construction of additional lanes to accommodate a projected increase in traffic. Airport road is awaiting funding to connect pony express with SR-73 and Eagle Mountain continues to be in communication with the Utah Department of Transportation to fund projects that will ultimately benefit the area over the next 10 years. In 2022 we are adding more lane miles to continue alleviating some of the traffic on our existing roadways. Much of this growth has put a renewed focus on how Eagle Mountain plans for its future water use. The last year residents proved they’re willing to take steps to conserve water and Eagle Mountain city wants to take that same spirit to properly conserve the state’s water resources. Last summer residents and businesses saved water on a per capita basis in May during the worst drought in recent memory. Eagle Mountain prides itself on its available culinary irrigation water and has worked alongside the Central Utah Water Conservancy District to plan for the city’s future water needs. When the city plans appropriately and considers the role of our community stakeholders Eagle Mountain finds itself in a better position for water accessibility than other communities around the state. It may come as no surprise that what goes in must go out in order to manage the water being used by new residents and businesses. In Eagle Mountain the city is also completed an expansion on its sewer treatment facility this has positioned the community to handle substantial growth, improve the operation of a sewer treatment facility, improved maintenance operations, and will better return water to the aquifers below,
The surface all of this growth and all of these changes should not overshadow what makes Eagle Mountain a great place to live. We continue to make good on our promise to create high quality public spaces for our residents, to preserve an open and rural feel. Eagle Mountain has 5 regiona,l 5 community, 14 neighborhood, and 31 local parks. In total we maintain 200 acres of tur. In Eagle Mountain we have plans to continue to add more park acreage as the community develops. Here are a few highlights over the past year. Phase two of cory ride memorial park saw completion that includes additional open field space pickle-ball courts additional bathrooms and an entry sign. Phase one was also completed on Woodhaven Silverlake community park the additional slides, climbing equipment, open space, and themed walkways have enhanced the neighborhood and will continue to grow and complement the area as more residential housing units are added in partnership with Facebook and Utah Valley university. Walden park will become a prime location for a stargazing observatory in 202. This observatory will serve residents, act as an outlet for exploration, and inspire our young residents to take an interest in the stars. Eagle Mountain also worked alongside residents to plan a location for a new Eagle Mountain dog park. Early 2022 saw the dog park open with space family pets both large and small.
Apart from our city parks which, are the envy of Utah county, the city continues to build on its major events. Pony Express Days was a rousing success in 2021, shop fest attracted more businesses than ever before, and the city replaced its traditional fireworks with a laser show that was the talk of the town . All of this is fun, but it’s important to recognize that Eagle Mountain has also been awarded at the state level for its program offerings, through the events department, including the annual silent Santa program for residents with sensory sensitivities. And for its recreational department offerings there are plenty of ways to get involved, but there are also plenty of ways to get away from it all. Eagle Mountain has 80 miles of dedicated trails within its city limits. Residents can use this for exercise or enjoyment and it continues to be one of the highlights of living in Eagle Mountain.
In 2022 we hope to have a dedicated trails master plan to map the city’s hiking and biking trails and plan even more for the future. Preserving the area’s natural beauty is one of the city’s priorities and it’s important to me as Mayor to be a good steward of our natural spaces. That’s why the city approved the deer migration overlay corridor in 2021. This type of zoning protects the Eagle Mountain’s mule deer migration patterns and was one of the first of its kind in the state of Utah. In 2022 Eagle Mountain city will continue to explore additional methods for protecting our wildlife areas. Among these considerations are measures that look after the community’s washes, these areas are home to a variety of wildlife that are important to protect solidifying these washes as development increases and providing an avenue for many of these creatures to continue calling the area home will become a heavy consideration in Eagle Mountain’s planning and development process.
There’s a lot happening in Eagle Mountain. It all comes down to dollars and cent. Residents should be happy to know that the city’s budget continues to operate lean and efficiently capital outlays for new projects in 2022 will be considered by the city council in the coming months and should provide residents with enhanced transportation services. Everything we accomplished in 2021 will lead to more successes in Eagle Mountain’s future. 2022 looks to be another year of growth business development and progress residents will be able to look forward to. The opening of the new Macey’s grocery store along with a host of other restaurants in the Marketplace at Town Center Development. The construction of new retail locations and the possible announcement of an additional major employer are also on the horizon.
New ways to distribute information to residents will be a highlight in 2022. The resident portal, which helps residents report issues responded to more than 400 submissions and we’re planning to respond to more in 2022. We also launched the what’s happening construction and development tracker for residents to know when new projects will be happening in their area and how to stay in touch with update. Residents can also stay in touch with ease by downloading the new Eagle Mountain city app, this allows residents easy access to city information volunteer opportunities. The resident portal and utility billing payments plans for funding the construction of Smith Ranch community park are anticipated for approval in 2022. Residents in the area should be excited to have another opportunity for open space and family friendly activities.
As Eagle Mountain has grown some of the city’s turn pockets have been found to be ineffective the city’s streets department has plans to lengthen the turn pocket at the intersection of Ranches Parkway and Pony Express Parkway. Not only that but Eagle Mountain city is hopeful for state funding for the completion of old airport road and the possible expansion of SR-73. With all of the change in Eagle Mountain our partnerships will be a big part of our future. Eagle Mountain is planning a renewed focus on its partnerships with economic development organizations, the Utah League of Cities and Towns , renewed cooperation with the State and County government, and better involvement with our partners at the local level such as the Eagle Mountain chamber of commerce. The changes planned in the next year have required Eagle Mountain city to take a hard look at itself. The city is currently planning to maintain a high level of service in fiscal year 2023. This planning will be the most efficient it’s ever been and includes the implementation of a long-term strategic plan.
Eagle Mountain residents can look forward to better services in many different areas of the city in the coming years. Eagle Mountain has a lot left to accomplish. We hope to set the tone for that undertaking in 2022, I invite residents to check out what’s new around the city and get engaged to help us plan the next 25 years in Eagle Mountain. I’m grateful to serve another four years as your mayor. I’m asking for your help to make 2022 a fantastic start so that future generations can love Eagle Mountain the same way we do
Transcript was initially generated by YouTubeTranscript.com. I then added the punctuation and page breaks.
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.