Letter to the Editor:
Stay Put
by Jean Arnold
Developing the Northwest Quadrant would be a big mistake for the City of Salt Lake. The proposed project of placing 70,000+ people west of the airport is being portrayed in almost utopian terms, as green and "sustainable," but this is far from the truth. How green is encroachment upon critical wildlife habitat? How green is frequent insecticide spraying for mosquitoes, so people can live there? How green is an eight-mile commute to downtown, assuming most people will continue driving?
The real green thing is to continue creating more density in the city we already have – the City's goal for a decade. Well-planned, denser cities are more livable, more walkable, and more vibrant. People drive less, and mass transit functions better. Infrastructure costs like roads, power, and sewer are saved. If the Salt Lake City Council approves this project later this year, it will undermine the goal of infilling our existing city. The City's resources of both money and manpower will be stretched thin, as it will suck the life out of the rest of the City. We should just focus on making the best within what we already have.
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The Author
Jean Arnold resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she enjoys a full-time career as an artist. She earned her MFA in Painting from Johnson State College in Johnson, Vermont in 1999. Ms. Arnold has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows, regionally and nationally. In spring of 2008, she held a a solo exhibition at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Montana. Her work is found in numerous public, corporate, and private collections across the country. In 2002, Arnold was recipient of t ... (Full Bio)
Letter to the Editor:
Stay Put
by Jean Arnold
Developing the Northwest Quadrant would be a big mistake for the City of Salt Lake. The proposed project of placing 70,000+ people west of the airport is being portrayed in almost utopian terms, as green and "sustainable," but this is far from the truth. How green is encroachment upon critical wildlife habitat? How green is frequent insecticide spraying for mosquitoes, so people can live there? How green is an eight-mile commute to downtown, assuming most people will continue driving?
The real green thing is to continue creating more density in the city we already have – the City's goal for a decade. Well-planned, denser cities are more livable, more walkable, and more vibrant. People drive less, and mass transit functions better. Infrastructure costs like roads, power, and sewer are saved. If the Salt Lake City Council approves this project later this year, it will undermine the goal of infilling our existing city. The City's resources of both money and manpower will be stretched thin, as it will suck the life out of the rest of the City. We should just focus on making the best within what we already have.
Are you absolutely sure you want to delete this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Delete This Article
Are you absolutely sure you want to remove this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Remove This Article
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