Show Utah Urges County Planning O Regions O The state of Utah Is urging counties to group together In regions for the purposes of planning a primary need ac according according according ac- ac cording to State Planning Co Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Co- Co Robert P. P Huefner Recommended preliminary m I n a r y planning regions which have been suggested leave Davis County's Board of Commissioners Commission Commission- ers in a dilemma which can be solved they say only through a meeting with Wasatch Front County officials COMMISSIONER ER Richard Evans said such a me meeting was expected soon Until that time the commissioners are trying to remain open According to the state planning planning planning plan plan- ning office the need for regions would be to Increase the efficiency efficiency efficiency effi effi- of planning functions Such functions deal with a multitude multitude multitude mul mul- of choices and decisions concerning highways water recreation public administration tion natural resources and fu future future future fu- fu ture plans which pertain to i goals policies and programs I i PLANNING FOR the entire state says Mr Huefner is unwieldy Coordinated planning for a single county or city on I the other hand is too limited In terms of the outlined needs Ideally then the planning re region region region re- re gion which wot would d be mt multi multi- tl- tl county In nature would represent represent represent sent common interests among the groups within the region and would consist of enough counties counties counties coun coun- ties cities and population to represent a significant unit for public administration The favored recommendation of the State Advisory Planning Committee is to have five re regions regions regions re- re gions which would also serve as a pattern for joint action on the part of the counties in cooperating cooperating cooperating coop coop- In public services and andin andin andin in uniting for self improve ment SUCH A division wot would d place Davis County in the northern region along with Box Elder Cache Rich Weber and Morgan Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- gan Counties The decision was made after consideration of the divergent ties Davis County has with Its two sister counties Salt Lake and Weber In a re re- re port prepared by I the state co coordinators coordinator's coordinators coordinator's coordinators coordinator's co- co office it was stated that the ties with Weber County are more complete than with Salt Lake because of ot Hill Hlll Air Force Base employing many Weber County residents The report said present re regions regions regions re- re gions more commonly associate Davis with Morgan and Weber than Salt Lake regardless of the recent federal action which made Davis County a part of the Salt Lake Standard Metropolitan tan Statistical area for the purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose of census taking A. A AN ALTE ALTERNATIVE proposal for regional boundaries concerning concerning concerning con con- Davis County was also offered for future study and con consideration side r a on A regional grouping permitting the seven county Wasatch Front to act as asa asa asa a unit wot would d solve the problem of or assigning Davis in one direction di direction direction di- di or another The Wasatch Front counties include Box El Elder Elder Elder El- El der Tooele Utah Salt Lake Davis Weber and Cache Still another alternative was offered wherein all allot of Utah's counties would be grouped into four instead of seven regions placing Davis County again in with the northern end of the state It was stated that a grouping grouping grouping group group- ing into four regions might be acceptable in future years for certain purposes when tax base population trade centers highway highway high high- way and economic development warrant larger geographic and economic planning units SUCH UNITS would each then be oriented to major trade cen cen- A meeting with other county officials to hear their views will be the only solution to making making making mak mak- ing a decision as to which proposal proposal proposal pro pro- to accept say the Davis Commissioners In the meantime meantime meantime mean mean- time the state is pressing for fora a decision which will affect the county for r years to come lk Ik |