Weber County to Expand West Weber Inland Port
Weber County has approved a resolution for the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) to adopt a 9,000-acre parcel of underdeveloped land in the western part of the county about seven miles west of I-15 into its project area, as shown below.
“These types of developments are very large and they are not done flippantly,” said Weber County Economic Director, Stephanie Russell. “They are done with great research and investment on behalf of the County as well as their partner organizations.”
The Inland Port project aligns with the Western Weber General Plan that has been under consideration by the county for decades and was finally adopted in July of 2022.
The UIPA acre project was first proposed in April of 2023 in a series of public meetings. In August 2023, the first resolution passed to adopt a project area of 903 acres.
On January 2, 2024, the most recent resolution for a much larger set of parcels to be developed was passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Weber County, consisting of Gage Froerer, Sharon Arrington Bolos, and James H. “Jim” Harvey.
It will assist with development of the West Weber Corridor, allocating about 9,000 acres in two parcels: Little Mountain Zone far to the west and Weber Bend Zone further east. A Union Pacific rail line bisects the southern portion of the Little Mountain Zone. Combined, the two areas are about ten times larger than the 903 acre project that was previously considered last year.
The resolution asserts that the project is expected to create thousands of new jobs, boost the local economy, access state and federal resources, and assist with the development of the West Weber Industrial District and Renewable Energy Hub.
Russell continued:
“We have been working with all the state agencies to address issues like transportation, congestion, and emissions. One of our primary points when we went into negotiations with the Utah Inland Port Authority was to talk about renewable energy. This is about smart development that is in complete alignment with our General Plan.”
At the January 2nd Weber County Commission meeting where the resolution was approved, UIPA executive Director Ben Hart spoke about how the project can benefit the Great Salt Lake and surrounding wetlands.
“By having this inland port financial mechanism in place, you’re actually going to have a pretty significant financial source that goes back to protect wetlands and the Great Salt Lake,” explained Hart.
“So, not only is this not going to hurt the Great Salt Lake or the adjoining wetlands, this is actually going to be a benefit.”
Weber County Commissioner Gage Froerer stated this project gives Weber County the ability to partner with the State and UIPA and to choose and have input on the businesses and industries that will reside in the Inland Port area. “This is a first step in a very long process,” said Froerer.
“The money (for this project) does not go to developers. It goes to infrastructure for roads, rail, water, and sewer.”