A version of this was submitted to the Herald Journal as a letter to the editor.
At Logan’s recent Planning and Visioning meeting, we were lucky to join tables of thoughtful residents of all ages. As the city rewrites its general plan, the conversation wasn’t about flashy megaprojects. It was about something simple and deeply human: making it possible to stay in our homes and neighborhoods as we age.
One man spoke up with urgency. His wife doesn’t drive, and if he were to pass away, she would need a place where she could walk or scooter to everything. That means grocery stores, pharmacies, and a few friendly corner shops—not big box stores across town, but small, neighborhood businesses.
The vision was shared by many in the room: walkable neighborhoods, with shops close by and streets safe enough to cross on foot or in a mobility scooter. The surprise wasn’t what people wanted. It was how difficult it is to build.
Right now in Logan, the neighborhoods we say we want—walkable areas with small shops and a mix of housing—are banned or require special permissions. That’s backward. If these places are good for older residents, for young families, and for local businesses, why not make it easier to build them?
We already have a beloved example in Island Market. It’s charming and woven into the fabric of its neighborhood. People love it—and we should have more like it. Not carbon copies, but unique places shaped by Logan residents’ creativity. We could try to prophesy what every neighborhood needs but we’d rather trust our community to surprise us.
In one corner of town, it might be a tiny shop that saves the day when someone forgets the milk. In another, it could be a cozy spot for ice cream and coffee. Maybe even a dirty soda shack you swing by on the way to the local park. These solutions can relieve traffic at the same time, benefitting the entire city.
Let’s make it legal to build those places. Say yes to the kinds of housing that make these walkable, welcoming neighborhoods possible.
Utah is facing an acute housing crisis. We need more homes of all shapes and sizes—smaller homes, accessory dwelling units, duplexes, and townhomes. We need to make room for young people starting out, growing families, and older couples looking to downsize without leaving their community. That kind of flexibility is essential to affordability, dignity, and stability as residents age.
The best way to help Logan residents age in place and thrive is to let neighborhoods evolve into places where we can live well at every stage of life. That starts with trusting our neighbors—and clearing the path for them to build something wonderful.
Photo by Michael Hart on Unsplash