As 2024 comes to a close, The City Journal takes a look back at the top stories of the year. 

Homeless shelters and Code Blue

This has been a hot button issue over several months and will most likely still be the topic of discussion in 2025. Just to recap, the legislature passed a bill in 2023 requiring counties the size of Davis County to provide shelter beds for Code Blue and Winter Response. Code Blue and Winter Response (warming centers) mean beds for unhoused people for extremely cold days from Oct. 15-April 30. 

A crowd of Kaysville residents filled the County Commission Office Nov. 12 to ask the commissioners to reconsider using the emissions center for Code Blue. (Photo screen grab/commission YouTube)

The county searched for suitable locations but hit major pushback from those communities. Kaysville was the first to say no to a possible use of a senior center located there. Residents in North Salt Lake also protested the purchase of a building in their city by Switchpoint, a private company that provides resources for those who are experiencing homelessness, with the fear of it becoming a permanent shelter to meet the county’s requirement. Ultimately, Switchpoint pulled their offer and the sale was dead. 

The county then worked with the state to find possible locations for warming centers as winter approached. The options submitted to the state were three county owned buildings, Clearfield Senior Center, Valley View Golf Course and the Inspection Maintenance Center in Kaysville and Mountain Road Church in Fruit Heights offered their building. When the Fruit Heights community learned of the church becoming a warming center, residents came out in force to oppose it and the church withdrew. The county announced it would use the county owned facilities but Kaysville City again pushed back in a big way because one of those facilities, the Inspection Maintenance Center is in Kaysville. 

At the Dec. 10 commission meeting, commissioners approved a lease agreement between Davis County and Davis Behavioral Health to use a vacant building for a Code Blue Warming Center. The building is located at 850 S. Main Street in Layton. Since opening the center, Ryan Steinbeigle, Grant Administrator for Davis County said there had been one individual all three Code Blue nights.“They will stay the night then be taken back in the morning to the location they were picked up from.”

Amendments A and D

The Utah State Legislature filed an appeal to the Utah Supreme Court on a ruling by the Third District Court over Amendment D. The Court ruled in favor of the district court’s decision voiding the amendment. (Photo by Roger V. Tuttle)

The legislature passed Amendment D in a Special Session held in August that would have changed the Utah Constitution and given the legislature the ability to repeal or amend citizen initiatives. However, after a lawsuit was filed, the 3rd District Court made the decision to void Amendment D and the Utah Supreme Court upheld the court’s ruling. Although it appeared on the November ballot the votes were not counted. Amendment A, dealing with changing the earmark on income tax for education, suffered a similar fate. It was also voided and was on the ballot but votes were not counted.

West Davis Corridor 

The new West Davis Highway opened last January. Bikers, walkers and other community members crossed the bridge at 950 North in Farmington before the highway officially opened to traffic below. The project was completed several months early.

Construction has gone on over the last three years. The four-lane divided highway runs from I-15 near Glovers Lane in Farmington to the future extension of S.R. 193 and 4500 West in West Point. Six new interchanges have been built to connect to I-15 and local roads:

• I-15/Legacy Parkway in Farmington

• 950 North in Farmington

• 200 North in Kaysville

• 2700 West in Layton

• 2000 West in Syracuse

• Antelope Drive in Syracuse

West Davis has also added nearly 10 miles of new trails.

All lanes of the new West Davis Highway opened in January. The four-lane divided highway runs from I-15 near Glovers Lane in Farmington to the future extension of S.R. 193 and 4500 West in West Point. (Photo by Roger V. Tuttle)

Layton Temple opens

Six years ago Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the Layton Utah Temple in the October 2018 general conference. The temple was completed in April 2024 and dedicated by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sunday, June 16, 2024. The nearly 94,000 square foot structure is three stories high and sits between the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains and the valley floor at 1400 Oak Hills Drive. 

A fountain in front of the new Layton Temple lights up the grounds. (Photo by Roger V. Tuttle)

Blaze sparked by fireworks destroys Layton home

A home at 2220 N. 1495 East was totally destroyed July 14 after fireworks sparked a blaze near the Kay’s Creek Trailhead that spread to the grass and then to vehicles parked in the driveway. The occupants, one woman and two children were not home at the time. Three people, two adults and one juvenile were charged in the incident. The woman’s neighbors raised money to help the family.

Three people were charged for setting off fireworks that started a fire and totally destroyed a home in Layton. (Photo courtesy of Layton City Fire Department)

Teen Living Center opens its doors to most vulnerable kids 

A 10,000 square foot 16-bed facility for teens experiencing homelessness opened in September at 75 N. Fort Lane just east of Layton High School. The Teen Living Center gives the teens a place to stay while providing resources to keep them on track for graduation. A third-party nonprofit, Switchpoint Community Resource Center, operates the facility with Davis School District, Layton City and Davis County acting as coordinating partners in accessing key community resources.

The Teen Living Center is located at 75 N. Fort Lane just east of Layton High School. The 16-bed facility will house teens experiencing homelessness. (Photo by Becky Ginos)

Davis County Sheriff’s Office breaks ground on new Emergency Operations Center

A groundbreaking for the future Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on the Davis County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) campus in Farmington took place June 18. The 17,300 square foot facility will provide coordinated disaster response and recovery in a large-scale emergency event for all 15 cities in the county and to regional partners. It is anticipated to be completed in 2025.λ

County officials and members of the construction and design team break ground on the site of the future Emergency Operations Center. (Photo by Becky Ginos)