Author: Ryan Starks

What is it about Wasatch County that is so attractive to residents and visitors from around the world?

Perhaps the 2002 Winter Olympic Games played a role in introducing the Heber Valley to the world, or maybe three beautiful state parks have helped brand the area. Nobody could blame a person for wanting to visit here, and if the past dozen years have proved anything, people clearly want to live here. After all, the Heber Valley is located less than an hour from the Salt Lake City International Airport, and just a quick, 25-minute drive to Provo and Orem. For winter enthusiasts, the Heber Valley sits handsomely between world-renowned Deer Valley Resort and the quaint and timeless Sundance Resort.

With so many quality ingredients thrown into the mix, it is little wonder why Wasatch County has quickly transformed into one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. With so much population growth, one might ask the following questions: (1) How is the local economy performing, and (2) what, if any, businesses are relocating to the Heber Valley, and (3) how much do businesses value the quality of life in the Heber Valley?

Local Economic Conditions

The past decade has seen a surge in economic strength and vitality — not just in Wasatch County, but throughout the State of Utah. In May of 2019, U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah as having the #2 best economy in the United States. Many other rankings tell a similar story that Utah is thriving by most, if not all, economic indicators. With so much economic success taking place in Utah, more and more companies are looking for more business stability and are making Utah their home.

Like Utah, Wasatch County is also a hotbed of economic success, as evidenced by a 35.9% job growth rate from 2013 to 2018. During the same time period, Wasatch County saw 2,786 new jobs created with an additional 2,453 new jobs expected to be created in the next five years.

Businesses Relocating To Heber Valley

Many exciting companies ranging from ski lift manufacturers to engineering firms have relocated to Heber Valley in the past few years, and Wasatch County appears to be poised for more economic growth.

One of the most intriguing businesses to relocate to the Heber Valley is Ventum — a specialty bike company that recently relocated its headquarters from sunny Miami Beach, Florida, and consolidated its other facility from Boulder, Colorado, to Heber City.

According to Diaa Nour, Ventum CEO, “We needed to find a location where we could be close to our customers, hire great people to join our team, and have room to grow.” He continued, “Our new home in Utah meets all of those criteria, plus having the mountains and trails right outside is going to come in handy for the bikes we’re working on next.”

For Wasatch County, Ventum’s decision to relocate to Heber City will result in 32 new jobs and over $1 million in capital investment. All Ventum bikes sold in the United States will be assembled in Utah.

Ventum, like many other reputable companies seeking the economic opportunity that Utah provides, received a post-performance tax incentive that will enable the creators of the ultimate triathlon racing bike to hire more, invest more and innovate more — all from within the walls of its new facility in Heber City, Utah.

Economic Development And Quality Of Life

During the next several years, county and city leaders will leverage $15 million of bond money and invest in preserving critical open space throughout the Heber Valley. Likewise, Wasatch County, Heber City, and Midway City have invested in new trails and outdoor recreation infrastructure to enhance the quality of life for residents. As county and city leaders continue to provide greater access to thousands of acres of public lands and trails, world-class companies like Ventum are more interested than ever in relocating their business to Wasatch County — precisely because of the focus on outdoor recreation and open space — not in spite of it.

So, what is it about Wasatch County that is so attractive to residents, visitors, AND businesses from around the world? The answer lies in the economic stability of Utah, Heber Valley’s proximity to major markets, and perhaps more than anything, an unparalleled quality of life that blesses all who make their home here.

Looking To The Past To Prepare For The Future

As Warren Buffett once stated, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone else planted a tree a long time ago.” For more than a century, Heber City leaders have created a myriad of plans to address various community issues. Some of these plans hit the mark and created the  proverbial shade that so many people presently enjoy. Other, less-than-perfect plans lacked the foresight to address many of the challenges of today.

The Need For An Updated Plan

As one of the fastest-growing communities in the United States, a lot has changed since Heber City’s General Plan was last updated in 2003. The city’s population has more than doubled since then, growing from approximately 7,500 people to more than 16,000 residents in 2019. During this same period of time, the populations of Summit County and the Uintah Basin have also increased dramatically — thus adding more pressure to local roads, businesses and city infrastructure. 

With even more population growth on the horizon, the need to update the general plan is paramount to creating a successful future. “Our city and the world around us have changed significantly since our last general plan update,” said Heber City Mayor Kelleen Potter. “This effort will help elected officials and staff implement the vision shared by the citizens of this community.”

The Process Of Updating The General Plan

In January 2019, Heber City officials and community stakeholders — led by Mayor Kelleen Potter — convened to begin the process of updating the city’s general plan. While the core group of nearly 20 stakeholders come from diverse backgrounds and industries, they all share a common love for the Heber Valley. 

One of the main roles of this group of stakeholders is to build cooperation and awareness with other members of the community. Rather than forcing a top-down approach to updating the general plan, this process will involve an inclusive, more collaborative effort that places great value on public input. In addition, the group will also provide critical analysis and recommendations to help shape the initial phases of the general plan.

During the months to come in 2019, Heber City staff and the stakeholders will host a series of community open houses, workshops, public surveys and meetings. These important meetings will help the steering committee gather public input, conduct community research and create momentum to implement the goals of the general plan. 

The process of developing the general plan will place emphasis on the following three steps:

Values: What do Heber City residents want for their city?

Vision: How will Heber City provide the desired values of the community?

Strategy: How will Heber City implement the goals and strategies of the general plan?

In addition to becoming a planning tool for Heber City officials, the general plan will also become a standard for Heber City residents — a standard for the city that they helped create.

The Importance Of A General Plan

If you have an opinion about what you think Heber City should look like in 30 years, now is the time share your thoughts. Some of the key elements of the updated general plan — as previously voiced by the public — will include strategies to address transportation, affordable housing, economic development, residential zoning, historical preservation, parks and open space.

As Benjamin Franklin, one of our Founding Fathers, once stated, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Our citizens’ guiding questions for the general plan will help shape what our city looks like in five, 10, even 50 years — and will help Heber City prepare for prosperity, rather than failure. 

Have a Say in the Future of Heber City

Whether you live in, work in or just love spending time in Heber City, please share your input regarding the future of the community. Help us plant more trees that will provide shade for generations to come. Learn more at www.envisionheber.com, the primary hub for information about the general plan, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates, survey questions and feedback.

Envisionheber.com   |    envisionheber  |   envisionheber

Since its establishment in 1862, Wasatch County has been recognized as a community that builds bridges. Some of these bridges include well-engineered structures that enable people to cross the Provo River at various locations. Other bridges, however, are built on a foundation of support, honorable relationships and understanding.

In a period of unprecedented population growth, the challenges that Wasatch County faces have never been greater. Similarly, the need for building bridges of unity is at an all-time high.

Bridges Of Support

According to Merriam-Webster, the word support is defined as “an act or instance of helping.” One way we can support or “help” our community is to support local businesses. Like a two-way bridge, our local businesses, in turn, support the community.

Too often we see a disgruntled person make sharp attacks on social media against a small business because “their food was cold” or because “their customer service wasn’t up to par.” While these are real issues that a small-business owner must address, using social media as a platform for complaining is not the best way for an angry customer to solve a problem.

Instead, we should all try to personally reach out to our local business owners in search of solutions. In this way, we can all work together to build bridges of support that help foster better experiences for both business owners and customers — now and into the future.

Bridges Of Honorable Relationships

Frequently, the residents of Wasatch County are labeled — often unfairly. Some common labels include “new move-in” or “Park City workforce.” Other labels include “Heber hick,” “Midway snob” or “Wasatch good ‘ole boy.”

These terms tend to segregate and alienate people rather than unite them. Instead of branding various groups of individuals based on where they live, where they work or how long they’ve lived in the area, a better — more honorable — approach would be to build bridges based on a foundation of meaningful relationships.

Often, those who are unfairly labeled are the same people who work in our businesses, teach our children, attend our churches and play with our children at school and at the park.

Building bridges of honorable relationships requires a broader view of how we see others. As the community continues to become better acquainted, we will hopefully grow to better appreciate others’ unique talents, perspectives and contributions — and ultimately become more united as a community.

Bridges Of Understanding

Hugh W. Pinnock once related the following story: Two ranchers who lived side by side in southwestern Montana argued and fought. Each thought that he was being cheated by the other because a rusty barbed wire fence that separated their ranches was not the true property line. The real estate records were unclear on the matter.

They told their children not to play with one another. The conflict became worse until finally, after years of exchanging words and threats, one of the ranchers said to himself, “Enough of this.”

He drove down the lane from his place to his neighbor’s. “What do you want?” his neighbor asked. “Look, you take your hired men and your sons, and I’ll take mine; and we’ll put the fence wherever you’d like it. I’ve had enough of this quarreling. I want us to be friends.”

His rawboned neighbor softened, and tears ran down both of their faces. The neighbor responded. “Hey, let’s drive to Virginia City and record that the present fence is where both of us want the property line to be.”
They did, and the problem was solved. Why? Because a neighbor simply wanted to be friends with the family next door.

As stated in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” we should all “seek first to understand and then to be understood.” Like the two ranchers, building bridges of understanding can resolve the most challenging conflicts our community may face.

Bridges For Future Generations

With much discussion revolving around city annexations, open space preservation, population growth and Main Street traffic, strong emotions can often get the best of us. If channeled properly, these emotions can help inform, educate, create understanding and ultimately lead to positive change.

As residents of Wasatch County, may we all work together to continue building bridges of support, honorable relationships and understanding. If we do so, Wasatch County will continue to be one of the finest places to work, live and play for generations to come.

In 2003 various business owners formed the Community Alliance for Main Street (CAMS) — an organization dedicated to enhancing Heber City’s most visible traffic corridor. The CAMS group established a non-profit organization and spent several years advocating for improvements to Heber’s Main Street.

Among the many accomplishments of the original CAMS group is the investment made into street posts, garbage cans and benches. Additionally, the CAMS organization helped identify design standards for Main Street businesses. Due to the support of a state grant and funding from Heber City, CAMS accomplished many remarkable things for the community.

As the local and national economy experienced the great recession in 2008, city and state funding for CAMS dried up. Without the necessary funding and local support, CAMS went into hibernation for several years.

CAMS 2.0

In 2018, newly-elected Mayor Kelleen Potter partnered with the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce to launch a new initiative to clean up Heber’s Main Street. Mayor Potter and the Heber Valley Chamber staff organized a beautification committee tasked with identifying ways to improve the city’s appearance.

More than 20 volunteers convened for the first beautification meeting. One of the committee’s first tasks was to organize a flower planting day for select flower bulb-outs on Main Street. The results were fabulous and dozens of volunteers showed their Heber Valley pride by cleaning out planters and planting a variety of fresh flowers along Main Street.

The beautification committee quickly started gaining momentum, which caused a reawakening of the dormant CAMS organization. Leaders from CAMS and the beautification committee recognized that working together would yield even better results for the entire community. Spurred by this realization, the two groups merged into the Community Alliance for Main Street 2.0.

Why Improve Main Street?

Heber’s Main Street, which is part of U.S. Highway 40, has a traffic capacity of roughly 26,500 vehicle trips per day. According to a recent Utah Department of Transportation study, Main Street currently has 32,000 vehicle trips per day — approximately 5,500 trips more than it was built to handle. As the population of the valley continues to grow, the need for enhanced planning will become even more crucial.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy and supporting these businesses is a top priority for CAMS. Improving parking options, addressing traffic issues, creating gathering places and beautifying streets and buildings are just a few ways CAMS hopes to support the business community.

Ongoing Improvements

The CAMS group has organized an executive committee made up of various local officials and business leaders. This core group has established various committees to oversee different pillars for enhancing Main Street.

In July 2018 the Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Sid Ostergaard of the Elliott Work Group, installed a series of attractive wayfinding signs throughout Heber. The CAMS group will continue to build on signage as a key initiative and will also focus on identifying key locations for large murals that will reflect the rural character of Wasatch County.

The CAMS group is also working to establish a historic downtown district along Heber’s Main Street — an area that will blend historical preservation with modern design principles.

According to Tom Stone, the chairman of the CAMS group, “Main Street needs a clearer identity to help local businesses thrive. With the support of the business community, Heber City and the Chamber of Commerce, we are poised to elevate the experience for all who visit Main Street.”

Local Surveys And Citizen Input

The CAMS group is very interested in getting feedback from Heber Valley residents regarding their visions for Main Street. With the support Heber City received from a UDOT grant, residents have participated in a series of surveys which will help dictate the future of Main Street for years to come.
As the adage goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. Thankfully, the CAMS group and its associates are committed to help community leaders plan for a better, more attractive Main Street now and into the future.

In the summer of 2015, the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce created a new initiative called “Keep it Local.” The sole objective of the program is to strengthen our economy by promoting the concept of dining, shopping and playing local. To help further this cause, the Chamber decided to raise money through its annual golf tournament to invest into themed orange, green and blue street banners. During most summer days, these banners decorate Heber and Midway’s streets and remind residents to “Keep it Local.”

While shopping local can be defined in a variety of ways, shopping local in the Heber Valley means spending money at Wasatch County businesses — regardless of whether the business is independently owned and operated, or is part of a chain corporation.

As the Heber Valley community continues to grow, the need to support local businesses has never been greater. Shopping local is important because it strengthens the local economy, keeps local taxes low and supports our friends and neighbors.

Shopping Local Strengthens The Economy

According to data from the Utah Department of Workforce Services, 3,286 people live and work in Wasatch County and 7,979 residents commute outside of the county for work opportunities. In other words, much of our talented workforce leaves the valley on a daily basis to provide for their needs. While it may be tempting for these commuters to purchase their goods outside of Wasatch County, shopping local strengthens the local economy by supporting businesses that create local jobs.

Starting and running a business can be a daunting task — especially during the first years of operation — and shopping local can provide an economic boost to new local businesses that are dependent on community support. Once a business obtains solvency, it can then look to expand operations, hire additional employees and invest more money into the community. This cycle creates positive multiplier effects that benefit many other businesses and the community as a whole.

Shopping Local Keeps Taxes Low

Similarly, shopping local also helps generate important sales tax revenues for our cities and county. Sales tax is collected in all cities and towns throughout Utah. While the sales tax rates are generally the same, each county and city may adjust the rates to some degree depending on their needs. Heber, for example, assesses a 6.25 percent sales tax on all sales made within the city.

Higher sales tax revenues allow our local governments to provide needed community services, all while keeping other taxes low. With favorable tax rates, businesses are then able to invest more money into the community, which is vital for a dynamic economy. Ultimately, the more sales tax dollars that are collected throughout Wasatch County, the more money returns to the community to help fund our local governments and the services they provide.

Shopping Local Supports Our Friends And Neighbors

A quick glance at local businesses will tell an important and often overlooked story: many of our friends and neighbors work for local companies. These same friends and neighbors are the people we invite to our children’s birthday parties, the people we go to church with and the people with whom we socialize.

These businesses are also the ones that contribute to the community in large ways. Some of these contributions include donating to local scholarships, sponsoring community activities and events, providing mentoring and internship opportunities to high school students, and so much more. When we shop local, we directly support our fellow community members.

How To Shop Locally

While online shopping is convenient, many local businesses can ship the same products to their own stores. This was the case for me a few years ago when my family decided to upgrade our furniture. We found a furniture set that we liked, but we couldn’t seem to find it in any Heber Valley store. We decided to speak with the owners of a local furniture store. They were able to place the order to their store, deliver the furniture and even set it up in our home — all while matching online prices.

The Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce also sponsors various events throughout the year to encourage local shopping. Each spring, dozens of Heber Valley restaurants participate in the dine-about and offer deep discounts to the community. Each fall, local businesses participate in a week-long campaign geared toward increasing local spending. The week culminates with Shop-Local Saturday and a tree lighting ceremony in Midway.

Ultimately, shopping local is an easy way to support our growing community. If we’re all a little more mindful of its benefits, shopping local will not only help our amazing business community, but also the friends and neighbors that depend on our support.

With more than 1,000 businesses located in Wasatch County, the likelihood of finding quality goods and services is quite high — if you’re willing to do a little research.

To find and support local businesses, check out the GO HEBER VALLEY mobile app or go online to gohebervalley.com or hebervalleylife.com.