The Green Belt
The Utah Farmland Assessment Act (often called the “Greenbelt Act”) was passed by the Utah Legislature in 1969. It was introduced as a response to urban expansion forcing farmers to sell land due to high market-value taxes, allowing land to instead be taxed based on its agricultural production value.
Qualification Requirements:
- Production: Land must produce >50% of the average agricultural production per acre for the county.
- Activity: Must be actively devoted to agricultural use with a “reasonable expectation of profit”.
- Timeline: Land must have been in agricultural use for at least two consecutive years.
Tax Implications: Land is assessed based on what it produces (e.g., alfalfa, grazing, orchard) rather than its market value.
If the land is sold or changed to a non-agricultural use, there is a rollback tax: the owner may be liable for the difference between greenbelt and market value taxes for the previous five years.
Some county commissioner candidates have emphasized the importance of maintaining the Green Belt, citing disappointment in many farms in the midst of towns being developed into housing or other commercial property.
Data Centers and Water Infrastructure
With the growing demand for compute capability in the US (in large part driven by the growth of AI companies), companies are looking for places to build data centers. Utah is already home to several data centers, including an NSA data center in Bluffdale and a Facebook data center in Eagle Mountain.
Critics say that data centers consume too much water, especially in such an arid and drought-prone state such as Utah. Additionally, they say that it strains the energy infrastructure that we currently have.
Proponents counter that data center companies will be responsible for footing the bill and improving our energy infrastructure, bringing benefit to the community at little to no cost to the taxpayer.
As evidence of the hesitation to embrace data centers, Provo City Council in March 2026 voted unanimously against a rezoning request for a 130,000 square foot AI data center in the East Bay neighborhood.
Tom Westmoreland, one of the candidates for county commissioner, is a huge proponent of data centers, and would like to encourage more projects like that within the county.
Transit Infrastructure (Roads and Public Transportation)
With the amount of growth that Utah County has had, many of our roads have reached a bursting point, with candidates for County Comissioner noting that “waiting 15 minutes to get on I-15 in either direction” is an untenable situation. Proposals from the commissioners include expanding I-15, adding lanes in each direction; creating a new “belt route” freeway going towards Eagle Mountain, and slowing down future growth until “the infrastructure can catch up.”
Rate of Growth
Several commissioners have stated that the County is growing too quickly, and that development needs to be reigned in until infrastructure can catch up. They also admit, however, that very little of that is under the County’s control, and they need to “talk to cities to help them understand” their point of view.
Walkable Cities
Walkable cities are advertised as master-planned, mixed-use developments with a “sustainable, walkable urban scene” where homes, schools, businesses, parks and trails, and other services exist together in a mixed-use space (as opposed to many city zoning requirements requiring certain home types within certain boundaries, such as single-family homes, to the exclusion of small businesses or shops located within that area).
One such development is currently underway in Utah County: “Utah City” is a 700+ acre development located in Vineyard on the former site of Geneva Steel, situated on the shores of Utah Lake and near the Vineyard Frontrunner Station, make it a transit-oriented community. It is not the construction of an entirely new “city,” as it remains part of the town of Vineyard.
Some of the county commissioner candidates, such as David Spencer, have expressed strong distaste for walkable cities, stating, “These walkable cities, I don’t believe in it.”
High Density Housing
With the population growth and growing popularity of Utah County as a destination to move to, housing becomes a significant issue. How to handle this seems to be an open question, with some county commissioner candidates advocating for slowing development so infrastructure can catch up. Many have complained about the rate of growth of Eagle Mountain, complaining about poor infrastructure, poor build quality, and poor planning. Many of the county commissioner candidates are also strongly opposed to high density housing.
With demand only increasing, housing prices rising, and the rising generation being priced out of the home market, some policies and decisions certainly need to be made.