‘There’s just too much now to try to stop it’: Population growth is shaping the future of farming in Utah

WEST HAVEN, Utah (ABC4) — As West Haven’s population rapidly grows, many have expressed concerns about the loss of farmland and open spaces.

West Haven, like many cities across the Wasatch front, is quickly growing. Since its incorporation in 1991 the population has increased from about 2,000 people to more than 20,000. The construction of a Walmart and the future 3300 S – 3600 S Connector Road both highlight the city’s continued growth.

While there are people both for and against more development, many worry that the city will soon lose its open spaces and small-town feel.  

“This will be West Haven’s first grocery store for our almost 26,000 residents and will add needed amenities through sales tax to our city,” said Mayor Rob Vanderwood in a recently released statement from Walmart.  

Since then, the announcement has garnered varying reactions. One person wrote: “Marking a 6th one within 20 minutes of my house.”  

“Love that we will get a Walmart, but when can we stop developing all the farmland?!?” posted another.  

Likewise, the announcement that the city is preserving land in the Westwood Estates subdivision for construction of the future 3300 S – 3600 S Connector Road has been the center of similar statements from the community.  An online post from the city stated: “As West Haven and nearby areas grow, traffic will increase. Preserving the corridor now prevents major congestion later and avoids costly fixes down the road.”

One person wrote: “Growth is such a difficult thing to manage. Balancing property rights with community desires for land use is almost an impossible task…”  

“No more condos, townhouses or apartments while we are at it, please!” Another emphasized, “West haven has lost so much farmland since 2019. It’s sad.”  

Regardless of whether a person is for or against continued development and growth, preserving open spaces and farmland is often something on which both sides agree.   

West Haven farmers discuss development

“There’s still those anxieties with not knowing with what the future holds because the development seems to have picked up in the last few years,” Blair McFarland told ABC4. 

McFarland and his brother are dairy farmers. They care for over 100 cows on the same land where their grandfather raised turkeys during World War II.

“We own just under 100 acres and we’re running about 250,” McFarland explained. By renting additional farmland in the area, the brothers are able to grow different crops to feed their cows. However, in recent years, the land they’ve farmed for years has been sold off piece by piece.   

“It kind of keeps us a little short,” McFarland added. “We have to buy extra food, more alfalfa and a little bit of corn silage from neighbors to get us through the year.”  

When the city was first incorporated in 1991, Charles McFarland (Bair’s father) was one of the original councilmembers. McFarland says that during the eight years in officer his father’s slogan was “County living.”

The idea behind it was that if developers wanted to come in and build, they’d need to pay a little more for the land to prevent it from being sold off in large swaths. “I’ve somewhat changed my mind, somewhat on that, because it’s not in the cards for this area to stay country living,” McFarland added. “There’s just too much now to try to stop it.”  

Nonetheless, in recent years, new homes have been built next to his land. Those who now live next to the farm, he said, appreciate him holding onto the land. “All our neighbors are dealing with our smells, our flies, our dust, noises, and they’ve become some of my best friends,” he added. “They’ve been good to us. We’ve been fortunate.”  

With the changing of the times and the influx of new neighbors, come new opportunities to use the land.  A few miles from the dairy, the family has an autumn attraction called Happy Pumpkin Corn Maze that is open to the public each fall as a way to make a little extra money, preserve the land, and get people outside.  

“It’s not all bad to have so many people here,” McFarland stated. “We’re happy that we can share our land that we have. There are people who maybe don’t have land, and they can come and run around our fields, play on the stuff we have and see our animals.”