This area of the Sunrise Valley Industrial Park in Washington is being considered for a Utah Inland Port Authority project area. The UIPA board will decide whether to approve its formation at its August meeting. (Courtesy Utah Inland Port Authority)
A proposed inland port project area in Washington County is being pitched as a way to help develop needed infrastructure, prompt industrial growth and enable long-term economic diversification.
Formation of the proposed Greater Washington Project Area has been requested by the Washington City Council, which envisions great benefits from a first phase of about 320 acres within and adjacent to the Sunrise Valley Industrial Park in southeastern Washington City, near Utah Route 7.
The first review of the project area took place June 25 by the Utah Inland Port Authority board. Approval of the project area could take place at the board's August meeting in Washington City.
One key element of the project area would be improving the Purgatory Road corridor, a connection that could improve freight movement, roadway safety and regional mobility.
Danny Stewart, UIPA's associate vice president of regional project area development, told the board that developing Purgatory Road would connect the Red Waters part of the industrial park and the Washington County landfill with Utah routes 9 and 7 "and take heavy industrial and landfill traffic out of rapidly growing residential areas. This benefits business development in the area and residential development in Washington City, in the county and in Hurricane City. This has a very regional benefit."
UIPA documents indicate that project area development also would improve connections to Interstate 15, St. George Regional Airport (about 10 miles away) and other logistics assets in Southern Utah.
Stewart also said the 320-acre area is Phase 1 but subsequent phases may be added later.
Target industries for the project area include advanced manufacturing; aerospace and defense; aviation-support industries; technology; life sciences; medical device manufacturing; outdoor products; corporate headquarters; and industries that create primary jobs, diversify the regional economy, and align with local economic development objectives.
Any UIPA-awarded corporate incentives would be structured as post-performance rebates from generated property tax differential and would require approval by the UIPA board in a public meeting. The draft plan also notes that projects classified as high-water-use by the Washington County Water Conservancy District would generally not be eligible for incentives.
This project area is about helping a fast-growing region plan ahead. Washington County is already seeing strong demand for industrial land and business growth. UIPA's role is to help communities deliver the infrastructure needed to support that growth in a responsible and coordinated way.
Ben Hart, UIPA's executive director"This project area is about helping a fast-growing region plan ahead," said Ben Hart, UIPA's executive director. "Washington County is already seeing strong demand for industrial land and business growth. UIPA's role is to help communities deliver the infrastructure needed to support that growth in a responsible and coordinated way."
"Washington City is growing quickly, and we have a responsibility to make sure that growth is supported by the right infrastructure," said Councilman Kurt Ivie of Washington City. "The Greater Washington Project Area gives us a tool to move important transportation and utility improvements forward, support responsible industrial development, and create more opportunities for residents to build careers close to home. This partnership helps us plan for the future instead of simply responding to growth after it happens."
UIPA documents conclude that the project area would result in the creation of high-quality jobs, expansion of the local tax base, and the securing of resources for public services while promoting sustainable growth and responsible land use.
The project area is a place where "industrial demand continues to outpace available, fully serviced land," the documents say.
"Sunrise Valley Industrial has already delivered multiple phases of improved industrial lots to the market, demonstrating both viability and demand. However, continued growth is constrained by transportation infrastructure limitations. The Purgatory Road corridor is the central infrastructure investment that will define the success of this project area. … Once completed, the corridor will provide a critical link between Washington City, Hurricane and surrounding areas, supporting industrial, residential and regional traffic demands," it says.
The proposed project area's location along the I-15 corridor between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas positions it to serve as a distribution and logistics node for Southern Utah and broader western markets, the documents say.
If approved, the Greater Washington Project Area would be Utah's 15th project area approved by the UIPA board.
