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Dixie's growth surges 48%

Boy, that Dixie is a real jim dandy! I wonder how much it will grow in the next few years.

I moved to Washington county 8 years ago to retire. This decision was based on a number of things. Affordability, climate, crime rate, geographics, and population. Since then I have a different perspective on this area. I now think it is the three O's. Overly hot, overpriced, and overated. I,m ready to go back North.

This is why we need the new Airport, and the Lake Powell Pipeline

If we keep up our mindless growth, and sprawl, we can be just like California, albeit with out the ocean, and great weather.

We use to live in Washington County and I have to agree with "Convinced." The housing prices were through the roof--I personally saw several families lose their homes, not because they were living behind their means but because they couldn't afford the tiny home they were living in for the palty wages they were paid. Also, I found the culture there to be absolutely stifling. When my neighbor moved in the first thing he asked me was: "Are you LDS." Not my name, do I like it here, but are you lds. That's pretty much sums up my existence there. I moved from that god-forsaken place and have never looked back.

If you look at history for the past 50 years or so... St George has doubled in size every ten years. So why is this story a suprize to anyone.

Looks like that power plant down there is a good idea after all. Gonna need some power for all those new homes!!!

like anonymous says, as soon as you move into a neighborhood you have the relief society, the brotherhood knocking on your door well for me anyway, and they are shocked if you are not active. I also faced the problem of looking for a decent priced home on my 10 bucks an hour wage. It makes no sense here, we build all these houses that only a select few can afford and if we are lucky maybe you can afford a townhouse, well in my case I ended up buying my parents home for what they owed on it. Also the city council here is a joke, same with the mayor, for example look at the new water features in the middle of town. We are constantly in a drought and we are going to use more water? c'mon.

Those darn St. Georgians. "Are you LDS"? I'm wondering why someone would move to a Utah town with "Saint" in the name and think it was going to be a diverse experience. LOL.

I live in St. George and love it. I am grateful that Convinced and Anonymous found solid reasons to leave. One of the real attractions of this area is the fact that few people can "make it" here, because there are fewer jobs that can support real families. I am glad there are certain barriers to entry here, otherwise St. George would become too much like Las Vegas or California. There are worse things to be asked than "are you LDS?" That's funny that it affected you so much. When we moved to SG, our next door neighbors were drug dealers. Of course, we didn't know this when we bought our home. Fortunately, within 12 months the drug-mom died and the rest just moved away. Who would you rather have next door? I wish more people would move away from "this god-forsaken place" Sounds like the smog and traffic and inversions up north or in California or LV make a better fit for you.

I have lived in SG for many years, and I love it. Houses are overpriced, which stinks. However, this place is a great area if you love the outdoors. I have never lived in a neighborhood that asked if I was LDS. To tell you the truth, they didn't care. They wanted to know about us, not our beliefs. If the SLC people think they are so innocent, they might want to re-evaluate their neighborhoods. I like SLC, but people seem more judgmental there. All places have their positives and negatives.

What is the fundamental basis of the Washington County economy? What leaves Washington County in exchange for the electricity, water, fuel, food, and and truckloads of consumer goods that flow into it? Is it farming, ranching, mining, energy, manufactured goods, what?
I suspect the basis of their economy is people bringing in money from elsewhere for tourism and retirement. What have I missed? What will happen to Washington county in more austere times when there is far less discretionary income floating around?

For folks who find St George or any other environment "stultifying". I heartily recommend our marvelous interstate highway system. It can take you quickly away this or any other place which makes you feel like you are serving a pre-mature sentence to purgatory. Also "thanks for leaving" wrote an article to the point.

What isn't addressed here is the number of unoccupied homes that exist in Washington County. In the past ten years, population may have increased 40%, but the capacity for population has more than doubled. The economy has been almost exclusively construction driven - and there's been enough construction that the population grwoth could continue for the next decade with no additional construction. The problem with that, of course, is that no new construction means no mew impact fees, which will even further pinch government operations in an economic slowdown.

There's also the issue that many of those homes are not full-time residences, they're second homes - so people are being counted as residents in two places, not just one. (Their legal residence will be wherever they think the taxes are lower.)

We must make our borough government accessible to the views of the entire community and open to suggestions and new ideas and try to market this county as a desirable community where young families will want to move and raise their families; otherwise older people will move in who do not want to support taxes for education and other public goods. We do not need another retirement community. Those kinds of people should move to St George or Idaho. It is just making way for the truly productive; nothing personal.

correction:

Those kinds of people shouldn't move to St George but to Idaho.

thanx

Where else in Utah can you enjoy a blue sky and sunshine during the winter months--certainly not in northern utah!! I've lived on the wasatch front and the inversion is disgusting, to say it nicely. The red cliff reserves, red vistas accented by lava flow mesas, zion national park, snow canyon state park, sand hollow reservoir, Pine Valley, Dixie State College events... the list goes on-- St. George is BEAUTIFUL!! To those that had a bad experience here and complain about your LDS neighbors, you should have gone outdoors more instead of trying so hard to become offended! Sure it's hot during the summer months, so go swim or go up to Pine Valley! And yes, the housing market is over-priced right now, but MANY places are! Utah's Dixie (Saint George and surrounding areas) is still Utah's "HOT SPOT" and I'm not just talking about the weather!!

To Just a Guy: NONE of the power generated in the proposed power plant is coming to Utah. You should be better informed before you spout off!

I came to Washington County in 1981, and I selfishly wish they had closed the doors just after I got in. (Many people who have moved here since I did have thought the same, of course.) The growth has brought nothing good but restaurants and retail. The traffic has become horrible. It's still a great place to live, however, especially if you have come from the frozen North. If you don't like it here, don't think you are doing anyone any favors by staying or that anyone will miss you when you leave, whatever your reason may be.

. . . and we're not too excited about the crime and gangs brought by our bounteous growth and popularity.

Can't have it all.

When I moved to Salt Lake I was also repeatedly asked if I was LDS - But ironically, I was never asked that by someone who actually was LDS.