Weber County Utah
Commission | Posted 01-03-2024
OGDEN, UT, January 3, 2024 – Weber County approved a resolution for the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) to adopt certain land into its project area and adopt a project area plan for such land.
“These types of developments are very large and they are not done flippantly,” Weber County Economic Director Stephanie Russell said. “They are done with great research and investment on behalf of the County as well as their partner organizations.”
The Inland Port project aligns with the Western Weber General Plan that was adopted in July of 2022. The project was first proposed in April of 2023 in a series of public meetings and the first resolution was passed in August of 2023 to adopt a project area. The most recent resolution, passed on January 2, 2024, will assist with development of the West Weber Corridor, allocating about 9,000 acres to take advantage of the infrastructure resources that are currently available, including the creation of new jobs, boosting the local economy, access to state and federal resources, and assisting with the development of the West Weber Industrial District and Renewable Energy Hub.
“We have been working with all the state agencies to address issues like transportation, congestion, and emissions,” Russell continued. “One of our primary points when we went into negotiations with the (Utah) Inland Port (Authority) was to talk about renewable energy. This is about smart development that is in complete alignment with our General Plan.”
At the Weber County Commission meeting where the resolution was approved, UIPA executive Director Ben Hart spoke about how the project can benefit the Great Salt Lake and surrounding wetlands.
“By having this inland port financial mechanism in place, you’re actually going to have a pretty significant financial source that goes back to protect wetlands and the Great Salt Lake,” Hart said. “So, not only is this not going to hurt the Great Salt Lake or the adjoining wetlands, this is actually going to be a benefit.”
Weber County Commissioner Gage Froerer spoke about how this project gives Weber County the ability to partner with the State and UIPA and to choose and have input on the businesses and industries that will reside in the Inland Port area.
“This is a first step in a very long process,” Froerer said. “The money (for this project) does not go to developers. It goes to infrastructure for roads, rail, water, and sewer.”