The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) works closely with local, regional, state, and federal governments to promote legislative priorities and implement policies. WFRC works with its members and partners to support sound policies that are centered around or tied to transportation, such as land use, economic development, and air quality.
For additional information regarding government affairs, please contact Miranda Jones Cox.
The 2024 General Legislative Session was a successful year for growth-related issues, with collaborative and innovative approaches to maintain and enhance quality of life in Utah for generations to come. WFRC engaged on issues impacting transportation and planning in preparation for and during the session. Below you’ll find resources regarding legislation and appropriations during this session, in addition to a comprehensive summary of issues.
HB488 Transportation Funding Amendments (2024)
HB488 includes a number of significant changes to key transportation funding programs, including: providing 1% of state sales tax into the TTIF Commuter Rail Restricted Account, funds specific projects from the County of the First Class Highway Projects Fund, makes changes to the “5th 5th” local option sales tax and 2nd quarter local option sales tax.
HB430 Local Government Transportation Services Amendments (2024)
HB430 allows for cities to propose piloted transit innovation grants for bus routes, shuttle service, and other innovative transit approaches, that would be focused on high-growth areas that have less transit service than other areas. Funding for these grants could be provided through the Transit Transportation Investment Fund, the “Fifth Fifth” local option sales tax, and the “Fourth Quarter” local option transportation sales tax and would be administered by UDOT.
SB208 Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone Amendments (2024)
SB208 makes changes to the existing HTRZ statute, notably increasing requirements for affordable housing in an HTRZ (from 10% to 12%), clarifying eligible stations for an HTRZ, enhancing the “but for” financial analysis, and addressing tax administration issues from the tax commission and local assessors.
SB268 First Home Investment Zone Amendments (2024)
SB268 creates a new tool to encourage medium-density centered development and homeownership for first time home buyers within Utah’s municipalities. The bill allows for tax increment capture to accommodate project and system infrastructure costs of the center, and requires certain densities, affordability, deed restrictions, and other requirements.
Recently Passed Growth Legislation
Recently enacted state policies designed to mitigate the challenging impacts of Utah’s rapid population growth on housing, transportation, water, and quality of life are in the process of being implemented at the local level. These new or revised programs and policies are significant multi-year undertakings that involve partnership between state agencies, local governments, and the private sector. The Unified Economic Opportunity Commission has recommended that, “These policies be given adequate time for implementation and evaluation in order to determine their effectiveness, prior to further significant modification.”
State Legislation & Policy Archive (pre-2024)
Federal Infrastructure Bill
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides $1.2 trillion in infrastructure funding, of which $550 billion is new funding above baseline levels over five years for roads, bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, water, broadband, and other infrastructure programs. The bill also includes a 5-year surface transportation reauthorization.
Federal Transportation Reauthorization Principles
Utah’s transportation agencies and partners have jointly developed a set of Federal Transportation Reauthorization Principles. We worked together to develop these key principles for a multi-year reauthorization that reflects Utah priorities with an eye toward Utah’s unique needs.
First Home Investment Zones (FHIZ)
First Home Investment Zones are a new tool to encourage medium-density centered development and homeownership for first time home buyers within Utah’s municipalities. The bill allows for tax increment capture to accommodate project and system infrastructure costs of the center, and requires certain densities, affordability, deed restrictions, and other requirements.
Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zones (HTRZ)
Utah State law enables a portion of incremental tax revenue growth to be captured over a period of time to support mixed-use, multi-family and affordable housing development within a 1/3-mile radius of UTA FrontRunner stations.
Transportation Reinvestment Zones (TRZ)
Utah State law authorizes the creation of a TRZ by two or more public agencies by interlocal agreement to capture increased property or sales tax revenue generated by a transportation infrastructure project. TRZs are a tool to assist local governments with the funding and implementation of transportation infrastructure.
Local Option Transportation Sales Taxes
Utah State law authorizes the imposition of local option sales taxes for transportation, which is sometimes referred to as “quarters” because generally they are 0.25% tax rates. These local options provide funding for city and county roads and active transportation needs, as well as public transit.