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What’s the Buzz from the Beehive State? Smart Growth Strategies from Outside the South took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from September 23 to 26, 2025. The program examined how Utah’s strategic statewide planning addresses rapid population growth while balancing water conservation, transportation infrastructure, housing, and energy policy. With many Southern states experiencing similar growth trends, participants explored lessons Utah has learned through public-private partnerships, coalitions with nonprofit and educational organizations, and state-led initiatives.
Attendees participated in sessions with housing and economic development experts, state policymakers, and researchers to discuss innovative growth strategies relevant to the South. The agenda included tours of the Utah State Capitol and the Daybreak Master Planned Community, sessions on water usage, housing affordability, and zoning policy, and discussions of lessons learned from Utah’s approach to growth management. The program offered state leaders insight into strategies that support development while mitigating challenges related to population booms.
Participants
- Cheri Allen, legislative assistant, North Carolina
- Representative Otis Anthony, Mississippi
- Quyen Do, deputy research director, Oklahoma
- Tracey Dranttel, legislative clerk, North Carolina
- Representative Denise Ennett, Arkansas
- Representative Tangie Herring, Georgia
- DJ Morgan, general counsel, West Virginia
- Garrett Whipkey, legislative assistant, North Carolina