The program had a "significant impact" on the city's subsequent development, Mitchell said, including the placement of the Delta Center and Matheson Courthouse, as well as the return of residential units to the downtown area and creation of arts and cultural districts.

But the program's success, Mitchell said, depends on the support it draws.

"There has to be a broad buy-in from people of the community, not just those in the power structure, but all residents, including those who might feel disenfranchised," she said.

To that end, AIA encourages residents and business owners to share the cost of the program, which ranges from $30,000 to $50,000, so that individual entities do not make major contributions in an attempt to leverage their own agendas.

Paul Blanchard, the Pleasant Grove economic development director, was involved in the West Jordan R/UDAT and closely observed the West Valley City one, as well. He began the process of involving Pleasant Grove in the program about two years ago.

Blanchard said he hopes the R/UDAT program will help the city undo a mistake made by city officials decades ago, when they had an opportunity to have an I-15 offramp built in Pleasant Grove, but decided against it.

That decision, Blanchard said, "has crippled the economy of Pleasant Grove for generations.

"Now we have our offramp, and we have one chance to get it right," he said.

And while city leaders are not bound to implement the R/UDAT report, Blanchard said city leaders have bought into the process, and he expects the program to have a major impact on the city's future development.

"I really believe it will become an officially adopted part of the city plan," he said.

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E-mail: jtwitchell@desnews.com