UIPA GIVES GO-AHEAD TO PROJECT IN UTAH'S ORIGINAL CAPITAL CITY

Products, not people.

That’s the overriding hope for exports that could result from the Historic Capitol Project Area, recently officially created by the Utah Inland Port Authority board during a meeting in Fillmore.

Several people at the meeting spoke about the project possibly reversing recent trends of young people leaving Fillmore and other parts of Millard County because of a lack of career and economic opportunities.

The Historic Capitol Project Area, located within Fillmore, encompasses about 1,960 acres, mostly west of Interstate 15, and is viewed as having a huge potential for business creation and relocation in the future. Incentives for companies in the project area will favor those in light or medium manufacturing, agriculture technology, and industries that are complementary to existing businesses.

“We’re doing it in an effort to be able to help businesses relocate here, create some high-paying jobs and to stabilize the economy — and improve the economy — and to bring opportunities for young people and others that want to come to Fillmore to live, and some small-scale, sustainable businesses,” Dennis Alldredge, a Fillmore City Council member, told the board prior to the project area vote.

Wayne Jackson, Fillmore City planner, echoed Alldredge’s comments.

“It’s opportunities that I believe are difficult to measure at this time for the inland port project because we’re opening the door that could change not only the face of Fillmore’s growth but the vast, open land in Millard County,” Jackson said. “But the greatest opportunity that comes to my mind for the Historic Capitol Project Area is the careers and options for our community so we can keep our most valuable assets in our city, which is our children.”

The plan includes comprehensive upgrades to local infrastructure, encompassing road improvements, utility enhancements and the development of logistics-specific facilities.

The Fillmore City Council adopted a resolution in December in support of the project area’s creation. In a prepared statement after the project area vote, Fillmore Mayor Michael Holt said the project area is “a game-changer for our community.”

“The economic opportunities and infrastructure improvements it brings will enhance the quality of life for our residents and ensure a prosperous future for Fillmore City,” Holt said.

Several speakers at the meeting and at a news conference afterward stressed the desire to have gradual, incremental, continual economic growth. Ben Hart, UIPA’s executive director, said the authority will collaborate with Fillmore City and state agencies on the area’s targeted recruitment strategy.

“That’s the type of economic growth that we’ve been talking about,” Hart said, adding that the goal is not to add a thousand-job project in Fillmore but instead smaller projects “that sometimes the Wasatch Front isn’t enthused about even though they are good-paying jobs.”

“As we look at this port project area, we’re not trying to fill this up with as many jobs as we can. That’s not the purpose. The purpose is, how do we find the right kinds of jobs and mainly help Fillmore advance and achieve its community and economic development goals, with primarily making sure we don’t export kids out of this community?”

Project area incentives will be offered to businesses making substantial capital investments, with post-performance rebates on generated property tax differentials. The incentives aim to attract targeted industries, promote workforce development, and ensure long-term economic stability.

The Historic Capitol Project Area becomes the state’s 11th. Others are an area in Salt Lake County, including in the Northwest Quadrant of Salt Lake City and parts of West Valley City and Magna; the Iron Springs area near Cedar City; the Verk Industrial Park area in Spanish Fork; the Golden Spike area in Garland, Tremonton, Brigham City and other parts of Box Elder County; the Central Utah Agri-Park in three parts of Juab County; the Mineral Mountains area, consisting of four zones in Beaver County in parts of Beaver City, Beaver County and Milford City; the Tooele Valley area; the Twenty Wells area in Grantsville in Tooele County; an area in western Weber County; and the Castle Country area in Carbon and Emery counties.

Hart has said the board may approve only one more project area by year-end, with 2025 featuring the creation of perhaps two or three, working “hand-in-glove” with local communities.

“Our purpose in these project areas is not to overpower communities,” he said. “We’re not here creating a bunch of jobs and trying to change the community. That’s not what the inland port is about. What the inland port is about is, how do we keep your kids and your grandkids here with good jobs? How do we create the right kind of economic growth for the local community — not to overpower, but to bring the kind of economic growth that will make sure that you’re not having to export your kids from this community?”