15-MINUTE CITIES: Setting the standard for development.

The 15-minute city concept refers to urban areas where residents can reach any place they need to go within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. These municipalities have become more popular among city planning experts because of the environmental, economic, and public health benefits.

Utah will soon get its first 15-minute city at the Point of the Mountain between Utah and Salt Lake Counties. This new development will be called The Point, and it's just one example of how Utah is planning for the future of our communities and prioritizing sustainability.

"Key characteristics of a vibrant community include sustainable development, equitable economic opportunities for all residents, a multimodal transportation system, and robust civic engagement," says Alan Matheson, Executive Director of The Point. "These characteristics are foundational to The Point and are reflected in the key visual elements for the site."

According to Brandon Fugal, Chairman at Colliers Utah, the opportunity at The Point is like nothing that has ever been seen before. "The magnitude of this project stands not unique to Utah but also to the United States. This project is truly historical and one of the most significant commercial development undertakings in US history. Nowhere will you find this amount of developable land in such a critical area of an established metropolitan area."

Sustainable and Affordable

While reducing environmental impact is one of the critical elements of sustainable growth in Utah, it's essential for sustainability and housing affordability to go hand-in-hand. Utah will add 2.2 million people to the state's population over the next four decades. As demand for new housing rises, housing costs will also increase--unless Utah can build enough new homes to keep up with demand.

Rapidly building new development while keeping housing costs low can come with an increase in air pollution, increased use of natural and non-renewable resources, and a negative impact on Utah's ecology. To provide sustainable and affordable housing, innovative development is critical. The 15-minute city design allows developers to increase the number of housing units in the state while protecting Utah's natural environment.

One of the defining features of a 15-minute city is its long-term sustainability. The team at The Point uses five elements to guide their planning: mobility, ecology, energy and carbon, water, and waste.

"We aspire for The Point to become the new benchmark for...