Connecting the Dots

Image by Bettymaya Foott

CONNECTING THE DOTS FY2020 ANNUAL ACCOUNTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM FROM OUR LEADERSHIP In these uncertain times planning is Our third and final principle is that more important than ever. I’d like community development must be to share our three guiding principles viewed holistically. The true value we with you to introduce this report strive to provide is in connecting the and emphasize the importance of dots, whether that be people, places, planning for all seasons. It may seem tools, guides or resources — making counterintuitive but as one of our connections is what planning is really three principles states, planning is a about. process. It is in this process that we connect the dots that bring people The Community Development Office together to form a true community. (CDO) is thrilled to work with the Community Impact Board (CIB) and Another of our principles is that each the Associations of Governments community is self-determined. As (AOGs) regional planners. With the planners we are here to provide the goal to help our local communities’ resources each community needs to use their valuable and scarce develop in the manner they see fit resources, including amazing people, based on the changing circumstances to build their community their way. of their respective communities. Working with our regional planners On behalf of all the planners we thank we are better able to know our you for your service and for your communities. To build relationships support of planning in rural Utah. that help us learn the needs of each Together we are making a difference community and how to best serve in creating a viable and resilient place those individual needs. that generations past, present and future lovingly call home.

Sincerely,

KEITH HEATON

2 REPORT CONTENTS FROM OUR LEADERSHIP ...... 2 REPORT CONTENTS ...... 3 AOG REPORTS ...... 4 BRAG ...... 4-5 UBAOG ...... 6-7 SEUALG ...... 8-9 SCAOG ...... 10-11 FCAOG ...... 12-13 FY2020 SNAPSHOT ...... 14 STAFFING CHANGES/ CDO PRODUCTION...... 15 CDO MAJOR INITIATIVES ...... 16 SMALL PLANNING GRANT FUND/ CIB SELECTION CRITERIA ...... 16 RURAL COORDINATING COUNCIL ...... 17 GNAR INITIATIVE ...... 18 COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVE ...... 19 TRAINING CURRICULUM/ STATE OF RURAL UTAH ...... 20 UTAH STUDENT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE/ MAIN STREET ...... 21 MAPPING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ...... 22 LOOKING FORWARD ...... 23 CAPITAL ASSET PLANNING/ COMMUNITY RESILIENCE/ PROGRAMS ...... 23 GUIDING PRINCIPLES/ CDO TEAM MEMBERS ...... 24

3 AOG REPORTS BEAR RIVER

RPP SUPPORT BRIAN CARVER ZAC COVINGTON SCOTT MCCOMB

CDO SUPPORT AUBREY LARSEN

The Bear River Association of Leveraging CIB investments in the Governments (BRAG) Regional RPPs with other project funds, BRAG Planning Program is a diverse is able to provide two and a half collection of communities ranging full-time planners for the region, from the metropolitan Logan City of which broadens technical expertise over 50,000 people in population, and capacity to address a number to small towns of less than 100 of issues including natural hazards, residents. Some of the larger recreation, and housing. The RPPs communities have the resources have been busy conducting Pre- to provide for much of their own Disaster Natural Hazard workshops planning and management needs, and analysis for the Bear River while others are staffed entirely Region, as well as providing technical by part-time volunteers and lack assistance to the Six County AOG in technical training and capacity to their PDHM process. engage in anything more than the most basic public services. COMPLETED • 5th Annual Cache Summit: Land- The geography spreads from the west Use Planning Conference desert of the Great Salt Lake east across mountains and valleys to the • Bear Lake Overlook Trail Proposal Bear Lake and plateaus of western (Rich County) Wyoming. This creates a demand for planning and coordination across a • Bear River Valley Senior Center wide variety of issues from public Client Map Analysis (Tremonton) lands and natural resources, to • Box Elder County Affordable community infrastructure and public Housing Plan involvement management. • Deweyville Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans

4 COMPLETED CONTINUED ON-GOING • Honeyville Community Wildfire • Coordination with federal, Preparedness Plans state and local elected officials, planners, agencies and • Nibley Community Center organizations Environmental Site Analysis • Lewiston Main Street Pathway • North Logan Moderate Income Housing Plan Update • Mantua Trails Master Plan

• Plymouth Community Wildfire • Willard 750 North Pathway Preparedness Plans Planning

• Portage Community Wildfire • Shared Stewardship Planning Preparedness Plans Project with Utah Forestry Division and US Forest Service • Rich County Trails Plan • Six County Region Pre-Disaster • Rich County Trails Guide Mitigation Plan

• Richmond Affordable Housing Plan • Bear River Region Pre-Disaster • Richmond 300 East Pathway Planning Mitigation Plan and Grant-writing • Tooele County Hazard Mitigation • Tremonton Malad River Trail Sign Planning Design • Tremonton Way-finding Signs • Willard Community Wildfire Design Preparedness Plans THE BRAG TEAM MUNICIPALITIES ASSISTED Box Elder County Plymouth Cache County Portage Cornish Providence Deweyville Rich County BRIAN CARVER ZAC COVINGTON COMMUNITY AND SR REGIONAL PLANNER Garland Richmond ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Honeyville Tremonton Hyde Park Wellsville Mantua Willard Nibley North Logan

SCOTT MCCOMB LARA GALE REGIONAL PLANNER JUNIOR PLANNER 5 UINTAH BASIN

RPP SUPPORT KEVIN YACK WILL WRIGHT

CDO SUPPORT SKYE SIEBER KEITH HEATON

The Uintah Basin Association of The updated one-year and 2-5 year Governments (UBAOG) provides Capital Improvement Lists (CIL) planning assistance to three counties were then reviewed by the planners comprising ten municipalities and before being sent to the UBAOG thirty-two special service districts. Executive Board for final approval. The Uintah Basin region consists of The approved one year CIL projects 8,478 square miles in area of which were then forwarded to the Permanent about 61 square miles is water with Community Impact Fund (PCIF) a population of approximately 56,205 Program for their administering and people. The region is exceedingly Board consideration. rural due to its remote location, the very northeast corner of Utah, and the In FY2020 UBAOG received and high amount of public and tribal lands provided technical assistance for comprising about 80% of the region’s 16 CIB project requests. Of those area. requests, seven were planning grants with six being from Uintah County UBAOG planners implemented the municipalities totaling $185,000 in new, more in-depth CIB process CIB funds and one being from Daggett described in last year’s report. In County (Manila) for $47,500. alignment with the new process UBAOG planners contacted all 42 entities to ensure that proper planning and priorities were established and to determine if public meetings were well-documented.

6 The remaining nine capital Further, UBAOG planners worked project requests showed closely with eight of the ten 5 in Duchesne County for municipalities to assist in the renewal a total cost of $8,994,000 of their Enterprise Zone designations in CIB funds of which through the Governor’s Office of $2,020,000 was in grants Economic Development (GOED). and $6,974,000 for loans. These designations are good for five Uintah County had 4 years and have proven valuable in requests at a total cost of assisting rural communities in their $4,709,000 in CIB funds of economic development efforts by which $2,630,000 was for offering important tax incentives, grants and $2,079,000 in thereby enabling eligible businesses loans. and areas to start/maintain their local operations vital for these rural areas In summary, the Uintah of Utah. Basin had 16 CIB requests in FY2019 for a total of $13,953,750 of which $232,500 were for planning and $13,723,000 for capital projects ($4,650,000 in grants and $9,053,000 for loans). THE UBAOG TEAM

KEVIN YACK WILL WRIGHT REGIONAL PLANNER REGIONAL PLANNER

7 SOUTHEASTERN

RPP SUPPORT MICHAEL BRYANT JADE POWELL

CDO SUPPORT KEITH HEATON

The Southeastern Utah planning development planning in San Juan team led by Michael Bryant and Jade County, planning for the Utah APA Powell has focused on working with conference, Bluff Town ordinance many partners in the Southeastern assistance, tourism planning with Utah region. A priority of the planning Carbon and Emery Counties, land team at SEUALG has been economic use assistance to Helper City, land development planning with Carbon, use assistance to Monticello City, and Emery, Grand, and San Juan Counties. economic development planning in The team has partnered with Utah Grand County. Association of Counties, Utah State University (USU) Eastern, USU- Other priorities have included regular Extension’s Rural Online Initiative, attendance at planning commission and local chambers of commerce meetings for local communities, 2020 to carry out economic development Census outreach planning, and grant planning and implementation. writing assistance for brownfield revolving loan funds, commercial In addition to economic development kitchens, and coworking spaces. planning, the team has assisted communities with general plans and land use ordinances, provided training, technical assistance, and support. They have been first-adopters of new tools and technology—actively receiving support from CDO resources, research, and assistance. Efforts have included main street planning in Price City, land use assistance in Castle Dale, economic

8 HIGHLIGHTS • Planning and implementation of San Juan County EDA Regional Economic • Planning and land use Diversification Summit (REDS) ordinance training and coordination and technical • Planning for a Carbon/Emery County assistance for Helper City, EDA Regional Economic Diversification Price City, Monticello City, Summit (REDS) Bluff Town, and Castle Dale City • Utah Coal Country Strike Team participation and coordination • Funding assistance and coordination • Silicon Slopes East Development and Implementation • CIB application assistance and capital improvements list • Creation of coworking spaces in Carbon compilation and Emery Counties

• Regional economic • Participatory efforts with Utah development coordination Association of Counties, USU Eastern, USU Extension and local chambers of • Regional transit and commerce transportation coordination • Planning with tourism departments in • Development of a regional Carbon/Emery Counties commercial kitchen in Carbon and Emery Counties THE SEUALG TEAM

MICHAEL BRYANT JADE POWELL REGIONAL PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR/ CIB LIAISON/ & RURAL PLANNING/ BUSINESS & TECHNICAL UTAH COAL COUNTY STRIKE ASSISTANCE CENTER TEAM COORDINATOR MANAGER

9 SIX COUNTY

RPP SUPPORT ZACH LEAVITT TRAVIS KYHL

CDO SUPPORT PAUL MOBERLY

The only constant is change, and TRAINING AND SKILL the Six County Association of DEVELOPMENT EXAMPLES Governments Regional Planning Program is no stranger to changes in • Development and implementation this past year. The previous Executive of a training program in Director, Russ Cowley, retired after conjunction with the CDO to build many years of dedicated service practical leadership skills for and Travis Kyhl has since taken on governing small towns in rural the responsibilities of directing the Utah agency’s efforts. Even with these • Working with communities changes, Zach Leavitt and Travis Kyhl to develop their capital have not slowed down. asset inventories and capital improvement plans Building on the relationships established through previous years, • Coordinating with communities Six County has worked to bring best to help develop area and regional practices and skill development into plans that provide mutual benefit the realm of planning and project to all development to empower communities • Beginning to create a GIS-based throughout the region. These efforts method to help create dynamic have been accomplished by working capital asset inventories to help directly with communities to provide communities understand their the necessary training and skill own needs and to inform future development for community leaders planning. and staff to be successful.

10 OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Capital Improvement List assistance • Provided many communities with general planning and • CIB Application assistance and land use ordinance support support, including holding the first technical assistance AOG directed CIB application tutorial • Helped to implement additional • Supporting communities with the programs that have a planning development of Moderate-Income focus that is similar to the Housing Planning RPP program such as CDBG, • Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Hazard Mitigation, and Planning continued Regional Transportation.

• Helped multiple communities to • Provided ongoing local support develop project ideas and identified for the 2020 Census funding sources to assist with projects • Provided training and technical • In partnership with the CDO, began to assistance to communities develop and implement a community for long term capital asset development and leadership training inventorying and improvement course that focused on rural leadership planning. and the unique challenges that rural • Assisted with GIS efforts with Utah faces. the Sevier County Sheriff’s office. MUNICIPALITIES ASSISTED Bicknell Marysvale Circleville Mayfield Ephraim Millard County

Eureka Mount Pleasant THE SCAOG TEAM Fayette Nephi Fillmore Piute County Glenwood Richfield Hanksville Rocky Ridge Holden Salina TRAVIS KYHL ZACH LEAVITT Joseph Sanpete County EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REGIONAL PLANNER Junction Sevier County Kingston Sigurd Leamington Torrey Loa Wayne County Lyman 11 FIVE COUNTY

RPP SUPPORT GARY ZABRISKIE NATE WIBERG

CDO SUPPORT JORDAN KATCHER

The Five County Association of Escalante City and Boulder Town Governments encompasses over 11 with zoning map updates, conducted million acres of land in Southwestern a community survey in Rockville, Utah. The AOG serves 38 incorporated provided coordination and assistance cities and towns, five county-wide with the Cedar City Chamber of school districts, and the county Commerce on the Cedar City Area jurisdictions of Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Vision 2050 planning project, Kane, and Washington. The region is coordinated with the Washington also home to two state universities as County Trails Committee, conducted well as two technical colleges. CIB one-year Capital Improvement Prioritization meetings in Beaver, As the home of two national parks, Garfield, Iron, Kane, and Washington one national monument, and nine counties and conducted an state parks, tourism plays a very environmental assessment for the large role in the local economies of Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. Southwestern Utah. While portions of the region have seen growth Gary Zabriskie has supported and economic prosperity with new communities with the CIB application businesses and excellent medical process as well as the Revolving services, other portions of the region Loan Fund application process. have seen slow or negative growth. Nate Wiberg created an Affordable The diversity of growth throughout Housing Location Analysis using GIS the region brings unique challenges for Washington City and assisted that the regional planning staff at the Washington County with a county- AOG are addressing. wide Attainable Housing Location Analysis. Additionally, the regional Within Five County Association planners are in the process of of Governments Community and coordinating with Beaver City to assist Economic Development Department, with their general plan update. Gary Zabriskie and Nate Wiberg conducted a capital improvement training in Minersville Town, assisted

12 HIGHLIGHTS • Applicant assistance with the • Supporting local and county Five County AOG Economic planning initiatives Development revolving loan fund • Supporting hazard mitigation • Economic development assistance, planning coordination, and support • Assisting with mapping projects • Compilation of the annual capital and GIS analysis improvements lists • Support of opportunity zones • Coordination with the decennial census • Training communities on planning, capital improvements, and • Technical assistance provided to affordable housing CIB applicants • Assistance with public engagement • Facilitation of the CIB application tutorial • Coordination with tribal entities on projects and planning • Coordinating project funding, and leveraging funding THE FCAOG TEAM

GARY ZABRISKE NATE WIBERG COMMUNITY AND ASSOCIATE PLANNER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

13 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE FY2020 SNAPSHOT

As part of the Housing and Community The proposed Small Planning Grant Development Division of the Fund (SPGF) reserves the CIB board’s Department of Workforce Services, limited time to discuss and review the Community Development Office larger-scale and more complex (CDO) help’s Utah’s rural communities projects and empowers CDO staff to build knowledge, skills, and abilities to connect applicants with additional achieve their goals. Since its inception resources. The SPFG process in 2013, the CDO has been adapting expedites the review timeline so its structure to best support regional that applicants can be approved for planners across the state and produce funding within two months. relevant, timely tools, guides, and resources. During the FY2020 pilot year the SPGF process awarded 19 grants with For FY2020, both the CDO and $567,870 total funds given to rural regional planners focused heavily communities. Below is a summation of on two main components: increased grants awarded by category. coordination and local empowerment. On the state level, the CDO focused ION OT RTAT HER on increasing partnerships with PO NS A rural service providers to increase R T

efficiency and promote collaboration; W 2 A

T S E on the regional level, planners focused E R T

A on expanding training and support to D P P L A U

local communities. N

D P

To increase planning support, the L

R TOTAL GRANTS

CDO proposed that the Permanent E

Community Impact Fund Board G

(CIB) authorize CDO staff to review,

approve, and fund planning grant

applications up to $50,000.

Figure 1. Small Planning Grant Fund (SPGF) grants awarded by category

14 STAFFING CHANGES

In FY2020 Lara Gale, a current Applied Economics NEW HIRE SUMMARY graduate student attending Utah State University, McKenna Marchant completed her internship with CDO and was hired (CDO FTE) as a Junior Regional Planner with Bear River AOG. Tessa Carver, a recent Master of Public Tessa Carver (CDO Administration graduate from Brigham Young Intern) University, and Sophie Bellina, a current Master of Sophie Bellina (CDO/ City & Metropolitan Planning graduate student at CPDSC Intern) the University of Utah, were hired by CDO as new Lara Gale (BRAG interns towards the middle of the fiscal year. Junior Planner)

Skye Sieber left CDO in January 2020 to pursue new opportunities with the Department of Environmental Quality. CDO is now back to full capacity with recent hire McKenna Marchant, a Master of Public Administration graduate from the University of Utah and former Vineyard City planner.

CDO PRODUCTION FY2020 TOOLS, GUIDES, AND RESOURCES

Single Issue Guides: Short- Trainings/Presentations: Appalachian term Rentals, Energy & Natural Regional Council Webinar, International Resource Communities, Dark Sky Dark Sky Association Webinar, Utah Planning (updated and reprinted) League of Cities & Towns Annual Convention, Utah American Planning Issue Briefs: Land Use Association Conferences, University of Utah Presentations, Maps on the Hill, Tools: Sample Ordinances, Rural Amazing Earthfest, 68th Annual United Resources & Assistance Inventory, Nations Civil Society Conference, Cache Planning Consultants Inventory Summit, Association of Government (updated) Accountants, Governor’s Office of Economic Development Annual State of Rural Utah (SORU) Report

15 CDO MAJOR INITIATIVES SMALL PLANNING GRANTS FUND

CDO LEADS AUBREY LARSEN SKYE SIEBER

FY2020 marked the first year of the Small SUMMARY Planning Grants Fund (SPGF)process, in which eligible applicants applying for $50,000 or less In its first year, CDO for a 50% match planning grant could expedite staff awarded 19 the application process. Rather than present in Small Planning Grants front of the Permanent Community Impact Fund totaling $567,870. Board, applicants work with CDO staff and regional planners virtually and in-person to provide planning assistance and distribute funding in a short amount of time.

CIB SELECTION CRITERIA

CDO LEADS PAUL MOBERLY TESSA CARVER

CDO staff worked with CIB staff to develop the new funding decision criteria for the CIB board. This criteria will facilitate the board making more consistent and informed decisions. Accompanying this work is a tool for the board and staff to analyze each applicant’s financial situation and provide funding packages consistent with the revised criteria. CDO staff will provide continuing support as the board adopts these criteria fully with the new fiscal year. CDO staff would like to thank all the board members for their hospitality in meeting to review and revise this criteria.

16 RURAL COORDINATING COUNCIL CDO LEAD JORDAN KATCHER

Launched in December 2018, the Utah The Rural Coordinating Council’s first Rural Coordinating Council (RCC) is major project involved compiling an a grassroots initiative that seeks to inventory of all of their resources better allocate time, resources, and available to rural Utah communities. strategies in rural Utah by increasing Their first compilation included 150 communication and collaboration resources, and their updated 2020 with multiple service providers. summer compilation now includes Coordinated by the CDO, the RCC 200 resources. Known as the Rural gathers on a quarterly basis in Salt Resources & Assistance Inventory, Lake City. Together, they brainstorm this is a resource that is meant to be on rural opportunities, conduct used by service providers, regional research through working groups, and planners, and local community collaborate on ways to better share leaders. RCC members were able their resources. to showcase this inventory during their presentations at both the Utah During FY2020, RCC membership League of Cities & Towns Annual increased from 22 to 35 members 2019 Convention in Salt Lake City from state and federal agencies, and at the Utah American Planning nonprofits, universities, and statewide Association 2020 Spring Conference in organizations. RCC members Moab. are from the following: 20 state agencies, 4 federal agencies, 4 The RCC also launched a Google site universities, 3 nonprofits, and 4 (sites.google.com/utah.gov/rural), statewide organizations. In an effort which houses their current projects, to build working relationships, RCC showcases Monthly RCC Member members gather together at each Spotlights, and provides a way for other’s work locations; rotating individuals to contact the RCC. each quarter. During this fiscal year, RCC gatherings were hosted by the following: Utah State Archives & Records Service, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Land Management, and via Zoom amid COVID-19.

17 GNAR INITIATIVE

CDO LEADS JORDAN KATCHER PAUL MOBERLY MCKENNA MARCHANT AUBREY LARSEN

CDO staff Jordan Katcher was given OTHER GNAR WORK the opportunity to teach a 2020 Summer Planning Gateway & Natural • The Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Amenity Region (GNAR) Workshop Cooperative has the opportunity with both graduate and undergraduate to develop a prototype toolkit for students at the University of Utah. the GNAR Initiative’s dark skies toolbox. CPDSC is also exploring a Throughout the Intermountain stronger general partnership with West, communities that serve as GNAR. the gateways to national parks, • GNAR has been working on scenic rivers, and other public lands bringing together representatives (known as gateway communities) from a range of western gateway are grappling with the ever-evolving and natural amenity region challenges brought on by COVID-19. communities to share their The online workshop is designed for experiences and challenges, students seeking to understand how generating strategies and lessons gateway communities are affected and learned, and understanding how responding to the pandemic. Students to be the most helpful to gateway will have the opportunity to compile and natural amenity regions as case studies, conduct interviews, they mitigate and recover from the inventory existing resources, and impacts of COVID-19. identify how service providers can better assist communities during this time.

18 COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVE

CDO LEADS AUBREY LARSEN SOPHIE BELLINA

In FY2020, the Colorado Plateau future generations. If successful, the Dark Sky Cooperative was pleased to Utah Reserve would be the largest in receive additional financial assistance the world with over 20,000 square from the National Park Service in miles of protected night skies. The partnership with the University of Cooperative will continue to provide Utah. The additional funds enable coordination and support for this the Cooperative to continue its transformative regional opportunity in collaborative work, to further efforts 2020. toward becoming a self-sustaining entity, to continue support of the In 2019, the Cooperative completed emerging Basin and Range Dark a number of powerful new tools and Sky Cooperative, and to extend the resources including: an interactive project end date. The Cooperative was dark sky lighting ordinance pleased to welcome Danya Rumore, walkthrough; an informational video Research Assistant Professor in the series; topic briefs for International Department of City & Metropolitan Dark Sky Community applicants; Planning as a new Principal a story map highlighting night sky Investigator and university liaison stewards throughout the Colorado as well as Sophie Bellina, a current Plateau; and a Google Site for the graduate student at the University of Southeastern Utah Night Sky Reserve. Utah, as a new Assistant Coordinator. The Cooperative also updated an existing dark sky assessment guide In August of 2019, the Colorado and made improvements to a GIS- Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative began based dark sky dashboard to include formal support for a landscape- the Basin and Range Cooperative scale night sky conservation effort boundary. In FY2021, the Cooperative in Southeastern Utah to establish an will continue working towards International Dark Sky Reserve. The becoming a self-sustaining entity and Southeastern Utah Night Sky Reserve increasing state, community, and local celebrates Southern Utah’s unique stakeholder engagement throughout rural character and landscapes by the Colorado Plateau and beyond. preserving the region’s heritage of starry night skies for present and

19 TRAINING CURRICULUM

CDO LEAD PAUL MOBERLY

In collaboration with Six County The material pulls heavily from ULCT’s AOG, our office is developing a great resources to provide local curated curriculum for local leaders leadership structured training to help on municipal basics. The training them make better decisions. Our first consists of ten modules, facilitated test community is Circleville where by the Regional Planners and CDO the mayor and town council have staff, covering topics like land use enthusiastically embraced the training basics, public meetings, capital asset and have recently formed a planning management, and finance. commission as a result.

STATE OF RURAL UTAH (SORU)

CDO LEAD PAUL MOBERLY

Our office completed our annual The full report was accompanied by report on the State of Rural Utah. a story map and summary version. This report compiled primary survey We were fortunate to meet with Lt. work, data analysis, and interviews to Governor Spencer Cox to discuss the provide leadership with a more robust findings in the report and look forward understanding of the opportunities to building a unified policy voice for and challenges in rural Utah. rural Utah through next year’s report.

The themes of this past year’s report were increasing coordination and empowering local efforts—these themes resonated through our interviews with local leaders and are reflected in our efforts with the Rural Coordinating Council, involvement in state-wide initiatives, and general focus on local capacity building.

20 UTAH STUDENT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

CDO LEAD PAUL MOBERLY

The Utah Student Community Assistance program exists as a hub to connect communities with projects and classes, student groups, and individual students interested in obtaining real world experience while making a difference. In FY2020 student projects include work on capital asset management and examining CIB’s financial situation.

MAIN STREET

CDO LEADS PAUL MOBERLY KEITH HEATON

Building off collaboration and work Our office looks forward to providing CDO has long been involved in, our technical assistance to these office is on the leadership committee communities and supporting the of Utah’s developing main street development of a state-wide program program. Lead by GOED’s Nan to benefit rural Utah. Anderson and SHPO’s Roger Roper, the program is a coalition of multiple state and regional organizations working on two pilot projects: Brigham City and Price.

21 MAPPING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

CDO LEAD AUBREY LARSEN

The Mapping and Technical SUPPORT PROVIDED IN FY2020 Assistance Program (M-TAP) provides rural municipalities with Alta, Town: Created Alta specific resources to overcome actual light pollution maps for Alta Planning and perceived barriers to using Commission meeting Geographic Information Systems Beaver, City: Explored updates to a local (GIS). destinations map.

The program connects Helper, City: Created light pollution map municipalities with appropriate for Helper’s IDA International Dark Sky state, regional, and local Community (IDSC)application resources, and provides basic • Created lighting inventory dashboard mapping and geospatial analysis of Helper’s public lighting fixtures from assistance to small towns with previous assessment done by Bryan limited capacity. Boulanger • Mapping assistance was provided for Helper’s general plan update in CURRENT PROJECTS collaboration with SEUALG • Developed an online map of Helper’s • Developing a GIS Applications transportation and annexation zones in Municipal Management for quick data visualization Guide tailored towards small towns opportunities and • Provided assistance in updating constraints Helper’s zoning and transportation maps for general plan • Exploring a statewide ArcGIS Online (AGOL) License Share • Created an average annual daily traffic Program in partnership with counts map the RPPS and Utah AGRC SEUALG: Created illustrative county maps • Participating in the formation for office building display of a Women in GIS Utah Chapter

22 LOOKING FORWARD CAPITAL ASSET PLANNING ASSISTANCE

For FY2021, the CDO and regional planners will be expanding their technical assistance, time, and resources related to capital asset planning across the state. Whether a community needs to create a Capital Asset Inventory, decide on which projects to fund and when, or discuss procurement challenges, the CDO and regional planners will be working with communities to ensure that they’re equipped with the proper resources.

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

During FY2020, the world turned upside down and started shaking violently amid a pandemic known as COVID-19. With a massive downturn in the economy accompanied with escalating hospitalizations and death rates, this pandemic has and continues to impact communities of all shapes and sizes across the world. Knowing the importance of providing as much assistance to small towns during this time, CDO staff and regional planners are looking at ways to enhance community resilience to mitigate the challenges associated with natural disasters, economic downturns, unstable economies, and more. PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT

With less than 10 years since its inception, the CDO is constantly evolving to best meet the needs of the regional planners and small communities they support. Over time, the CDO has designed and expanded major initiatives that have already experienced tremendous success. In the future, the CDO would like to invest more time and energy into those major initiatives to provide the best services possible.

23 OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES WE APPROACH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HOLISTICALLY. Community development is about increasing a community’s quality of life. Comprehensive community development recognizes the importance of the human experience in each of the identified focus areas and is an ongoing, iterative process to foster community resilience.

WE SEEK TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORT THEIR DECISIONS. Local community leaders have both the authority and responsibility to make decisions for their constituents, and are accountable for those decisions to their electorate. We help educate leaders on the decisions and their potential outcomes, offering assistance and supporting local decisions.

WE APPROACH PLANNING AS A PROCESS AND NOT AN END PRODUCT. Planning is not merely the writing of a plan; it is a process of civic engagement, visioning, deliberation, and preparation. When we speak of planning, we are not referring to the creation of a document -the document is only the artifact of the process. Planning - looking ahead together - is the expression of community development CDO TEAM MEMBERS

KEITH HEATON PAUL MOBERLY AUBREY LARSEN JORDAN KATCHER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY CDO PLANNER/ NRF & UBRF CDO PLANNER/ CPDSC CDO PLANNER/ RCC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER COORDINATOR COORDINATOR

MCKENNA MARCHANT TESSA CARVER SOPHIE BELLINA CDO PLANNER/ RAP CDO INTERN CDO INTERN/ CPDSC COORDINATOR ASSISTANT COORDINATOR