A Community-Oriented Society in Utah

Written by Andrea Mabey

Many modern societies tend to stress the individual: privacy, individual decisions, custom lifestyles, and tastes. Although this has brought a certain type of freedom, it can lead to loneliness and a lack of connection with others. Our sense of community is also inhibited by the speed with which we live our lives. Cars isolate us by encapsulating us as we speed past our neighbors. We have so many mobile devices for increasing communication that we feel it is unnecessary to actually talk to our neighbors. It is community interaction like talking among the neighbors that reduce local crime, stray pets, and vandalism.

Communities where people live inclusively help everyone succeed in society and learn from each other. It is important to have meaningful conversations and work together with family, friends, and neighbors. Zoning single-family dwellings separate from multi-family dwellings compartmentalizes a community. As demographics change, families are often smaller, households may have only one or two people in them and some economic realities mean that extended families live together. We support laws and policies that balance the needs of all members of society.

We support public policies that require new development to provide places for casual and spontaneous interaction which creates vital neighborhoods. We support the construction of walkable streets. We support accessible open spaces and the integration of public transportation networks to reduce the need for urban sprawl. Neighborhoods are the basic unit of the community. A neighborhood that has a balanced mix of activities — living, shopping, working, schooling, worshipping, and recreation will also provide a sense of community. A neighborhood with only houses and maybe a community park will lack the open spaces needed for casual and spontaneous interaction.

Healthy communities welcome refugees, newcomers, and a diverse ethnic mix of residents. We support public policies that support the free flow of population-based on changing economic growth patterns. A healthy local economy supports healthy communities.