Between 2010 and 2020, Utah was the fastest-growing state in the United States. Post-COVID, the Sunbelt States – particularly those within the CSG South region – have seen widespread population booms that bring much potential and pitfalls for state policymakers to consider. Whether addressing land use and zoning, water use and conservation, building safety codes, or other smart growth policies, state leaders in the South have much to consider. As such, CSG South policymakers may find it helpful to look outside the region and explore the strategic statewide plan in the Beehive State, which features a coalition of state government, private sector, educational, nonprofit, conservation, and other organizations that are on the same pathway to growth that benefits Utahns while protecting water supplies and expanding statewide transportation infrastructure. Several states in the South have raised concerns or sought to address the issues of unchecked growth, such as Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Virginia, on issues as diverse as zoning reforms, rural land use protections, home hardening, and energy efficiency incentives, and transportation reforms. States like Oklahoma also run a similar risk of water shortages that Envision Utah and the Utah Growth Commission and Land Use Institute are addressing. Participants in this masterclass will explore the common challenges and potential solutions shared with Utahns as they both benefit from and face new pitfalls due to rapid growth.

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