Cache Valley Initiative is long overdue

Cache Valley business leaders launched something on Tuesday that is long overdue. That something is the Cache Valley Initiative – a program aimed at guiding growth in the valley for the next five years. The goal is to preserve Cache Valley’s open spaces and encourage business growth, but in reasonable bounds. Poor planning is plentiful in the valley as it stands now.

The stretch of Hwy. 91 from Logan to Smithfield is a prime example. Right now the portion of road is lined with businesses and strip malls, each with their own driveway. This practice is both unsafe and unsightly and cuts down the view of the valley’s expanses of open space to passersby.

“Imagine strip malls, car lots and fast-food shops from here to Wellsville,” said Logan Architect Tom Jensen, who helped spearhead the initiative.

Cache Valley need not let itself crumble into an urban sprawl nightmare. USU students and faculty should support the initiative to help preserve the integrity of the valley’s landscape for future generations to enjoy.