Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

67 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 companies is a priority to ensure they have the support they need. Additionally, Gregory Backpacks, Scott Sports, and Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, with its primary offices located in the city, are significant employers. “Essentially we have this unique blend of retailers and businesses that are outdoor oriented. They are drawn to employees, especially those who want to live close to the recreational opportunities that we have. They can live in the city and work very close to what those products can offer as far as recreation,” Teerlink relays. New Developments on the Horizon As for new developments, the mayor admits, “Holladay is geographically a built-out community. So, there’s not a lot of room for expansion and creation of industrial areas and that sort of thing. In terms of the business community, I would call it stable, but not a lot of new growth.” One notable endeavor on the horizon is the Holladay Hills project, which will repurpose a 57-acre former mall site into a mixed-use development encompassing residential, commercial, and retail spaces. The city is eagerly anticipating this project, as it will bring a substantial amount of retail and office space, totaling close to 700,000 square feet, to the area within the next four to eight years. “I think that is going to provide an opportunity to bring some bigger office users in that would appreciate the Holladay location as opposed to maybe a downtown location,” Dahle suggests. Tax Philosophy and Infrastructure Investments The “truth in taxation” philosophy in Utah dictates that when property values increase, mill rates must decrease to maintain consistent tax revenue. Any increase in revenue, beyond new growth, necessitates a public process, limiting the impact of inflation on property taxes. “It takes an inflationary component out of the property tax piece of your revenue pie,” acknowledges Mayor Dahle, who initiated an effort to increase tax revenue for the city 5 years ago. HOLLADAY, UTAH