Quote:
Originally Posted by Hatman
Awesome map. Lots of fun. Utah certainly knows how to buck the trends.
But all those states around us that have higher immigration... where did all that growth go? Was it out to the sprawl-burbs? I honestly can't picture the majority of people moving to Colorado or Nevada seeking a dense urban setting. I'll bet almost all of them were looking for the solitude of the suburbs and cheap land.
Not that added population is a bad thing - it's very very good - but does an internal growth rate mean Utah is growing more sustainably than other sprawl states? Does this mean that while Utah may be less diverse than the other states, its development is more homogeneous - ie, more collaborative, less segmented, and better suited to be (or become) more urban in the future?
Or is all of this me trying to justify Utah again?
Hum....
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I don't know if their growth pattern is all that more sustainable. I do think having a more homogeneous society can have a negative impact overall due to the lack of diversity in both culture and thought. It leads to way more group-think and politically, that can be very concerning (look at North Korea - though, I'm not necessarily comparing the two ... just that the more diverse culturally, ethnically and politically a nation, the freer).
I also don't know if being homogeneous means we're better primed for being more urban in the future. In fact, the more diverse cities tend to be the more urban - San Francisco, New York, Chicago. Also, it's only better suited to become more urban, I guess, if the prevailing thought is to move in that direction. Getting back to that group-think, much of what has stalled the progress of urban development in SLC is a direct result, I think, of the homogeneous attitude that has dominated this state for forever - you know, larger families, therefore bigger homes with bigger yards in bigger suburban communities.
Much, much of the development we see beyond SLC's borders remains extensively suburban and sprawl-oriented. There are signs of hope, of course, but it's still trumped by the miles and miles of suburban sprawl.
Just look at the
fastest growing communities in Utah:
1. Heber
2. Saratoga Springs
3. Spanish Fork
4. Highland
5. Eagle Mountain
6. Springville
7. Pleasant Grove
8. Lehi
9. Lindon
10. Payson
They're all suburban cities with hardly any urban landscape whatsoever. Moreover, as noted by state demographer, Juliette Tennert, this growth is mostly attributed, again, to birth - not people moving into these communities.
Generally, to break through that group-think, you need an alternative viewpoint to be forced into the dynamic. That's not happening and therefore, it leads to the next generation falling for the same problems that undercut this generation. Now, granted, some areas of the state have done a good job at trying to roll back the trend - but it's a two-foot dam against a 100 foot tidal wave, I'm afraid.
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