- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
About the Weber County, Davis County and Salt Lake City, Utah Area Weber County, UtahFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population is 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By 2005 its population was estimated at 210,749. Its county seat and largest city is Ogden. Weber State University, founded in 1889, is located in Ogden. The county was formed on March 3, 1852 and named after the Weber River, which in turn was named for John Henry Weber (1779-1859), a fur trapper and trader in the area in the mid-1820s. The county extends from high in the Wasatch Range in the east into a portion of the Great Salt Lake to the west. The Weber and Ogden rivers and their tributaries run through its valleys. The Weber County Surveyor's office divides the county into two regions, the "Lower Valley" and the "Upper Valley", divided by the ridge of the Wasatch front range running north-south through the county. The "Lower Valley" is the more populous part of the county and is adjacent to the Great Salt Lake. The "Upper Valley" is the eastern part of the county and consists mostly of the Ogden Valley, the watershed of the Ogden River.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 659 square miles (1708 km²), of which, 576 square miles (1491 km²) of it is land and 217 km² (84 sq mi or 12.73%) is water. Adjacent Counties
DemographicsAs of the census of 2000, there are 196,533 people in the county, organized into 65,698 households and 49,536 families. The population density is 342 people per square mile (132/km²). There are 70,454 housing units at an average density of 122 per square mile (47/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 87.69% White, 1.40% Black or African American, 1.28% Asian, 0.77% Native American, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 6.59% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. 12.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2005 80.4% of the population was non-Hispanic whites. 1.5% was African-Americans while 0.9% was Native American. Asians were 1.4% of the population. Latinos were 15.2% of the county population. There are 65,698 households out of which 40.30% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% are married couples living together, 10.70% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.60% are non-families. 20.00% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.60% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.95 and the average family size is 3.42. In the county, the population is spread out with 31% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 29 years. For every 100 females there are 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the county is $44,014, and the median income for a family is $49,724. Males have a median income of $36,239 versus $24,719 for females. The per capita income for the county is $18,246. 9.30% of the population and 6.90% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.10% of those under the age of 18 and 5.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. By 2006 the county population had risen to 213,247. Cities and towns
Unincorporated communitiesThese communities are enumerated by the Census Bureau as part of the Ogden Valley CCD, a census county division: Famous residents
 Davis County, Utah
Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. In land area it is the smallest county in Utah. In 2000 the population was 238,994 and by 2006 was estimated at 276,259. It was named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county is part of the Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan area, but, geographically, the southern half of the county has more in common with Salt Lake City than with Ogden. Its county seat is Farmington and its largest city is Layton. Davis County also contains the Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, the main amusement park serving the Wasatch Front.
HistoryDavis County was created by the territorial legislature in 1852, with Farmington designated as its county seat, because of its geographic location midway between boundaries at the Weber River on the north and the Jordan River on the south. During its first 50 years, Davis County grew slowly. With the advent of the Utah Central Railroad in 1870, a transition to mechanized agriculture and a surge of commerce, banking, improved roads, new water systems, and electrification of homes began. However, by 1940, the population was barely 16,000. With the establishment of Hill Air Force Base in northern Davis County, there was a surge of civilian employment after World War II. The county doubled in population between 1940 and 1950, and doubled again between 1950 and 1960 as part of the nationwide suburb boom that was occurring at the time. By 1990 there were 188,000 residents, and in 2000, there were 239,000. By 2030, the county is expected to have a population of about 360,000. Today, most of the growth is concentrated in the northwest, northeast, and southwest portions of the county, and especially in such cities as Syracuse, Clinton, West Point, South Weber, and Woods Cross. hi Law and Government
A three-member board of commissioners is the county's governing body. Each of these commissioners serve four-year terms, which overlap for the sake of continuity. They are responsible for all county services and operations. They approve, adopt, and amend the budget; they also serve as the legislative body and regulate business licensing in the county's unincorporated areas. The current county commissioners are Alan Hansen, Louenda Downs, and Bret Millburn, with Commissioner Hansen currently serving as Commission Chair. The assessor is responsible for the valuing of all real property in the county. The current assessor is James B. Ivie. The clerk/auditor serves as the county's chief financial and budget officer. The current Clerk/Auditor is Steve Rawlings. The treasurer is responsible for collection and investing of county funds. The current Treasurer is Mark Altom. GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 634 square miles (1,641 km²), of which, 304 square miles (789 km²) of it is land and 329 square miles (853 km²) of it (51.95%) is water. It has the least land area of any county in Utah. The county lies generally between the Great Salt Lake on the west and the Wasatch Range on the east, which rises to a height of 9,707 ft (2,959 m) in the county at Thurston Peak. The Great Salt Lake in the west, which is surrounded by marshland and mudflats, lies at an average elevation of approximately 4,200 ft (1,280 m), varying depending on the water level, which can lead to drastic changes in the lake size due to its shallowness. The lake includes Antelope Island, which is the largest island in the lake. The entire island is a state park, designated to protect natural scenery and especially wildlife on the island, which includes bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and a bison herd. The narrow, populated portion that lies between the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Range is a portion of the Wasatch Front, which is very narrow at this point, complicating north-south transportation in the county. Davis County borders Weber County on the north, Salt Lake County on the south, Tooele County on the west, Morgan County on the east, and Box Elder County on the northwest corner in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. You must travel through Weber County to access it, however, and you must travel through Salt Lake County to access Tooele County. It should be noted that Davis County shares land borders with only Salt Lake, Morgan and Weber counties; all other borders are water. Davis County lies in a semiarid climate zone. Snow is frequent during winter, with up to 90 in (230 cm) annually on high bench areas in the east and at least 55 in (140 cm) on the valley floor. Annual precipitation averages between 18 and 25 in (450 to 650 mm) in the county, with sping being the wettest season and summer the driest. Summers are hot, with several days each year averaging above 95°F (35°C). However, the humidity is low, making for comparatively comfortable temperatures. In winter, temperatures sometimes drop below 0°F (-18°C), but rarely for extended periods of time. Compared to Salt Lake County to the south, the weather in Davis County is extreme. Lake-effect snows hit the county harder, and even in non-lake-effect storms, the lack of a rain shadow in Davis County (much of Salt Lake County lies in the rain shadow of the Oquirrh Mountains) means that storms hit harder here. In addition, canyon winds from the east hit this county very hard, and wind gusts above 100mph have been reported. This occurs when a powerful high pressure system situates itself over Wyoming, and are a common local occurrence. TransportationThe most important road in the county is Interstate 15, which runs north-south through the center of the county. U.S. 89 enters parallel to I-15 from Salt Lake County to the south and runs north through North Salt Lake and Bountiful as a city road before merging with I-15. It re-emerges again in Farmington near the Lagoon Amusement Park, heading along the eastern benches on the slopes of the Wasatch Range, entering Weber County near South Weber. US 89 will eventually be upgraded to a freeway through eastern Layton north to its interchange with Interstate 84 near the Weber County border. Due to the narrowness of the Wasatch Front through the county, congestion is a major problem, especially since many people within the county commute south into Salt Lake County. To relieve congestion in the county, the Legacy Parkway portion of the Legacy Highway began construction in March 2006. Construction began near the US 89/I-15 interchange in Farmington in 2004, but was soon halted due to a lawsuit filed by environmentalists over the completeness of the environmental impact statement. Environmentalists were concerned that the road would impact marshlands along the eastern edge of the Great Salt Lake. A settlement was finally reached in November 2005 and the final injunction was lifted in February 2006. This portion of the Legacy Highway will run southward from the US 89/I-15 interchange in Farmington, along the west end of the valley, and connecting into Interstate 215 near the border with Salt Lake County. Construction is expected to finish in 2008. The Utah Transit Authority in August 2005 began construction on FrontRunner, a commuter rail line to link Salt Lake City with Davis and Weber counties. Extending to Pleasant View, north of Ogden in Weber County, the line is expected to be completed in 2008. In Davis County, stations will be constructed in Woods Cross, Farmington, Layton, and Clearfield. All of these stations have prompted plans for transit-oriented development (TOD). EconomyDavis County is often characterized as a bedroom community. According to the US Census Bureau's 2004 American Community Survey, 42.3% of the population works in another county. South Davis County commuters who work in Salt Lake County frequently encounter commuting time traffic bottlenecks between Davis and Salt Lake Counties. The Legacy Highway and Commuter Rail FrontRunner projects are under construction to ease this problem. Davis County's largest employer is Hill Air Force Base. Hill AFB is a dominant feature of the economy of Davis County. Earnings of civilians at Hill AFB are almost double the state average. Hill AFB accounts for about 12% of the economy of Davis County and about 2.6% of the economy of Utah. Hill AFB provides employment for nearly 23,000 military and civilian personnel (approximately 4,500 active duty, 1,200 reservists, 13,000 federal civil servants, and 4,000 civilian contractors). Other large employers include Davis School District, Lagoon Amusement Park, and Lifetime Products. EducationPublic education in Davis County is served by the Davis School District. There are currently 53 elementary schools, 14 junior high schools, and 7 high schools in the school district. The high schools are as follows:
In addition, there is another high school currently under construction in rapidly-growing Syracuse, to be opened for the 2007-2008 school year. The Utah College of Applied Technology operates a campus in Kaysville known as the Davis Applied Technology College (DATC). Weber State University operates a campus in Layton. DemographicsAs of the census of 2000, there were 238,994 people, 71,201 households, and 59,239 families residing in the county. The population density was 785 people per square mile (303/km²). There were 74,114 housing units at an average density of 243 per square mile (94/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.26% White, 1.09% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 2.30% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. 5.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2005 88.6% of Davis County's population was non-Hispanic whites. 1.2% of the population was African-American. 1.8% of the population was Asian. 6.6% of the population was Latino. There were 71,201 households out of which 49.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.80% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.80% were non-families. There are 1,636 unmarried partner households in Davis County: 1,410 heterosexual, 132 same-sex male, and 94 same-sex female. 13.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.31 and the average family size was 3.67. In the county, the population was spread out with 35.10% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 17.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $53,726, and the median income for a family was $58,329. Males had a median income of $40,913 versus $25,904 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,506. 5.10% of the population and 4.00% of families were below the US Federal poverty line. 5.90% of those under the age of 18 and 4.10% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. By 2006 276,259 people lived in Davis County, representing a growth of 15.6% since the last census, slightly more than the growth rate for Utah overall. Cities and townsSalt Lake City, UtahFor ships of the United States Navy of the same name, see USS Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake, or its initials, S.L.C. It was originally known as Great Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City has a population of 178,858 as of 2006. The Salt Lake City metropolitan area spans Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties, and has a total estimated population of 1,018,826. Salt Lake City is further situated in a larger urban area known as the Wasatch Front, and until 2003 the Ogden-Clearfield metro area within it was considered part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The total estimated population of the Wasatch Front is approximately 2,150,000. The city was founded in 1847 by a group of Mormon pioneers led by their prophet, Brigham Young, who fled hostility and violence in the midwest. The headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the L.D.S. or Mormon Church) is located in Salt Lake City. Mining booms and the construction of the first transcontinental railroad initially brought economic growth, and the city became nicknamed the Crossroads of the West. In the 21st century the city has developed a strong outdoor recreation tourism industry (skiing and biking), become the industrial banking center of the U.S, and served as host to the 2002 Winter Olympics.
HistoryBefore Mormon settlement, the Shoshone, Ute, and Paiute had dwelled in the Salt Lake Valley for thousands of years. However, these tribes dwelt only on a temporary basis near streams emptying from Canyons into the Salt Lake Valley. The first Caucasian in the Salt Lake area is believed to be the explorer Jim Bridger in 1825, although other Caucasians had been in Utah earlier, some as far north as the nearby Utah Valley. U.S. Army officer John C. Frémont surveyed the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Lake Valley in 1843 and 1845. The Donner party, a group of ill-fated pioneers, had traveled through the Great Salt Lake Valley in August 1846. The first Europeans to settle in the valley were the Latter-day Saints on July 24, 1847. They had traveled beyond the boundaries of the United States seeking an isolated area to practice their religion, away from the hostility they had faced in the East. Upon arrival, President of the Church Brigham Young is recorded as stating, "this is the right place," later abbreviated to simply "this is the place," after reportedly seeing the area in a vision. They found the large valley empty of any human settlement. Only four days after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young designated the site for the Salt Lake Temple, intended to be the third temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to replace the abandoned Kirtland Temple in Ohio and Nauvoo Temple in Illinois. Constructed on Temple Square, in the center of the city, the temple took 40 years to complete, being started in 1853 and dedicated on April 6, 1893. These delays meant that temples in St. George, Logan and Manti were completed before the Salt Lake Temple The temple has become iconic of the city and is the centerpiece of the city (in fact, the southeast corner of Temple Square is the reference point for all addresses in the Salt Lake Valley). The Mormon pioneers organized a new state called Deseret and petitioned for its recognition in 1849. The United States Congress rebuffed the settlers in 1850 and established the Utah Territory, vastly reducing its size. Great Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital in 1858, and the name was subsequently abbreviated to Salt Lake City. The city's population swelled with an influx of religious converts, making it one of the most populous cities in the American Old West. Disputes with the federal government ensued over the widespread Mormon practice of polygamy. A climax occurred in 1857 when President James Buchanan declared the area in rebellion after Brigham Young refused to step down as governor, beginning the Utah War. A division of the United States Army, commanded by Albert Sidney Johnston, later a general in the army of the Confederate States of America, marched through the city and found that it had been evacuated. This division set up Camp Floyd approximately 40 miles (65 km) southwest of the city. Another military installation, Fort Douglas, was established in 1862 to maintain Union allegiance during the American Civil War. Many area leaders were incarcerated at the territorial prison in Sugar House in the 1880s for violation of anti-polygamy laws. The LDS Church abandoned polygamy in 1890, releasing "The Manifesto," which officially renounced the practice in the church. This paved the way for statehood in 1896, when Salt Lake City became the state capital. The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869 at Promontory Summit on the north side of the Great Salt Lake. A railroad was connected to the city from the Transcontinental Railroad in 1870, making travel less burdensome. Mass migration of different groups followed. They found economic opportunities in the booming mining industries. These groups constructed the Greek Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in 1905 and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Madeleine in 1909. This time period also saw the creation of Salt Lake City's now defunct Red-light district that employed 300 courtesans at its height before being closed down in 1911. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, an extensive streetcar system was constructed throughout the city with the first streetcar running in 1872 and electrification of the system in 1889. As in the rest of the country, the automobile usurped the streetcar and the last trolley ran in 1945. Rail transit was re-introduced when TRAX, a light rail system, opened in 1999. The city's population began to stagnate during the 20th century as population growth shifted to suburban areas north and south of the city. Few of these areas were annexed to the city, while nearby towns incorporated and expanded themselves. As a result, the population of the surrounding metropolitan area greatly outnumbers that of Salt Lake City. A major concern of recent government officials has been combating inner-city commercial decay. The city lost population from the 1960s through the 1980s, but experienced some recovery in the 1990s. Presently, the city is losing population again (though that of the metro area continues to grow), having lost an estimated 2 percent of its population since the year 2000. The city has experienced significant demographic shifts in recent years. Hispanics now account for approximately 19% of residents and the city has a large gay community. There is also a large Pacific Islander population, mainly made up of Samoans and Tongans; they compose roughly 1% of the population of the Salt Lake Valley area. Salt Lake City was selected to host the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995. The games were plagued with controversy. A bid scandal surfaced in 1998 alleging that bribes had been offered to secure the city for the 2000 games location. During the games, other scandals erupted over contested judging scores and illegal drug use. Despite the controversies, the games were heralded as a financial success, being one of the few in recent history to profit. In preparation major construction projects were initiated. Local freeways were expanded and repaired, and a light rail system was constructed. Olympic venues are now used for local, national, and international sporting events and Olympic athlete training. Tourism has increased since the Olympic games,[not in citation given] but business did not pick up immediately following them. Salt Lake City hosted the 16th Winter Deaflympic games in 2007, taking place in the venues in Salt Lake City and Park City, and Rotary International has designated the city as the site of their 2007 convention, which will be the largest single gathering since the 2002 Winter Olympics. The U.S. Volleyball Association convention in 2005 drew 39,500 attendees. GeographySalt Lake City is located at . The total area is 110.4 square miles (285.9 km²) and has an average elevation of 4,327 feet (1,320 m) above sea level. The lowest point within the boundaries of the city is 4,210 feet near the Jordan River and the Great Salt Lake, and the highest is Grandview Peak, at 9,410 foot (2,868 m). The city is located in the northeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley surrounded by the Great Salt Lake to the northwest, and the steep Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges, on the eastern and western border respectively. Its encircling mountains contain many narrow glacially and volcanically carved canyons, among them City Creek, Emigration, Millcreek, and Parley's border Salt Lake proper. The Great Salt Lake is separated from Salt Lake City by extensive marshlands and mudflats. The metabolic activities of bacteria in Willard Bay (the freshwater portion of the lake) results in a phenomenon known as "lake stink", a scent reminiscent of foul poultry eggs, two to three times per year for a few hours. The Jordan River flows through the city and is a drainage of Utah Lake that empties into the Great Salt Lake. The highest mountaintop visible from Salt Lake City is Twin Peaks, which reaches 11,489 feet (3502 m). Twin Peaks is located southeast of Salt Lake in the Wasatch Range. The Wasatch Fault is found along the western base of the Wasatch and is considered overdue for an earthquake as large as 7.5. Catastrophic damage is predicted in the event of an earthquake with major damage resulting from the liquefaction of the clay- and sand-based soil and the possible permanent flooding of portions of the city by the Great Salt Lake. The second-highest mountain range are the Oquirrhs, reaching a maximum height of 10,620 feet (3,237 m) at Flat Top. The Traverse Mountains to the south extend to 6,000 feet (1,830 m), nearly connecting the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains. The mountains near Salt Lake City are easily visible from the city and have sharp vertical relief caused by massive ancient earthquakes, with a maximum difference of 7,099 feet (2164 m) being achieved with the rise of Twin Peaks from the Salt Lake Valley floor. The Salt Lake Valley floor is the ancient lakebed of Lake Bonneville which existed at the end of the last Ice Age. Several Lake Bonneville shorelines can be distinctly seen on the foothills or benches of nearby mountains . Layout
Plat of Salt Lake City, circa 1870s The city, as well as the county, is laid out on a grid plan; Most major streets run very nearly north-south and east-west. There is about a fourteen to fifteen minute of arc variation of the grid from true north.[citation needed] The grid's origin is the southeast corner of Temple Square, the block containing the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Addresses are coordinates within the system (similarly to latitude and longitude). One hundred units are equal to 1/8th of a mile (200 m), the length of blocks in downtown Salt Lake City.[citation needed] The streets are relatively wide, at the direction of Brigham Young, who wanted them wide enough that a wagon team could turn around without "resorting to profanity." These wide streets and grid pattern are typical of other Mormon towns of the pioneer era throughout the West. Though the nomenclature may initially confuse new arrivals and visitors, many consider the grid system an aid to navigation. Some streets have names, such as State Street, which would otherwise be known as 100 East. Other streets have honorary names, such as the western portion of 300 South, named "Adam Galvez Street" (in honor of a local Marine corporal killed in action) or others honoring Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and César Chávez. These honorary names appear only on street signs and cannot be used in postal addresses. In The Avenues neighborhood, north-south streets are given letters of the alphabet, and east-west streets are numbered in 2.5 acre (10,100 m²) blocks, smaller than those in the rest of the city. Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, planned the layout in the "Plat of the City of Zion" (intended as a template for Mormon towns wherever they might be built). In his plan the city was to be developed into 135 10-acre lots. However, the blocks in Salt Lake City became irregular during the late 19th century when the LDS Church lost authority over growth and before the adoption of zoning ordinances in the 1920s. The original 10-acre blocks allowed for large garden plots, and many were supplied with irrigation water from ditches that ran approximately where modern curbs and gutters would be laid. The original water supply was from City Creek. Subsequent development of water resources was from successively more southern streams flowing from the mountains to the east of the city. Some of the old irrigation ditches are still visible in the eastern suburbs, or are still marked on maps, years after they were gone. NeighborhoodsSalt Lake City has many informal neighborhoods. The eastern portion of the city has higher property values than its western counterpart. This is a result of the railroad being built in the western half as well as scenic views from inclined grounds in the eastern portion. Housing is more affordable on the west side, which results in demographic differences. Interstate 15 was also built in a north-south line, further dividing east and west sides of the city. The west side of the city has historically been a working-class neighborhood, but recently the more affordable nature of the area has enticed many professionals to the neighborhood. For example, the small, increasingly trendy Marmalade District on the west side of Capitol Hill, once considered seedy as few as 5–10 years ago, was heavily gentrified and is now thought of as an eclectic and desirable location. During the 1980s, gang activity was also centered in the western neighborhoods of Rose Park, Poplar Grove, and Glendale. Sugar House, in southeastern Salt Lake City, has a reputation as a liberal neighborhood and until recently possessed a district of locally-owned specialty and niche shops on the corner of 2100 South and 1100 East. The stores that once occupied the street have recently moved to new locations to make way for a condominium and office complex, although the developers have stated that they wish to maintain the character of the area, and retail shops will be allowed at street-level once the complex is completed. Despite these assurances, residents have been very vocal in their concerns that the neighborhood will lose its unique eclectic appeal and have panned what they call the destruction of one of the few locally-owned business districts in the valley. Just northeast of Downtown is The Avenues, a neighborhood outside of the regular grid system on much smaller blocks. This area is a Historical District that is nearly entirely residential, and contains many historical Victorian era homes. The Avenues are situated on the upward-sloping bench in the foothills of the Wasatch Range, with the earlier built homes in the lower elevation. The Avenues, along with Federal Heights, just to the east and north of the University of Utah, and the East Bench, south of the University, contain gated communities, large, multi-million dollar houses, and fantastic views of the valley. Many consider this some of the most desirable real estate in the valley. In addition to larger centers like Sugar House and Downtown, Salt Lake City contains several smaller neighborhoods, each named after the closest major intersection. Two examples are the 9th & 9th (located at the intersection of 900 East and 900 South Streets) and 15th & 15th (located at the intersection of 1500 East and 1500 South Streets) neighborhoods. These areas are home to foot-traffic friendly, amenities-based businesses such as art galleries, clothing retail, salons, restaurants and coffee shops. During the summer of 2007, 9th and 9th saw sidewalk and street improvements as well as an art installation inspired by the 9 Muses of Greek myth, thanks in part to the 9th and 9th Merchants Association. Many of the homes in the valley date from pre-World War II times, and only a select few areas, such as Federal Heights and the East Bench, as well as the far west side, including parts of Rose Park and Glendale, have seen new home construction since the 1970s. Climate
The flood of City Creek in 1983 occurred from snowmelt after record snow fell in nearby mountains the previous winter. The climate of Salt Lake City is characterized as a semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen Bsk), with four distinct seasons. Both summer and winter are long, with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters, and with spring and fall serving as brief but comfortable transition periods. The city receives 16.50 in (419 mm) of precipitation annually. Spring is the wettest season, and another "rainy season" occurs in fall. Snow occurs on average from November 6 to April 18, producing a total average of 62.7 in (159 cm), while the city's watersheds in nearby mountains accumulate averages as high as 500 in (1,270 cm). The period without freezing temperatures usually lasts an average of 167 days, from April 30 to October 15. During the winter months cold fronts typically originate in the Gulf of Alaska and move southeastward into the area. The nearby Great Salt Lake produces lake-effect snow approximately 6 to 8 times per year, some of which can drop excessive snowfalls. The lake-effect also contributes to some rain storms, and it is estimated that about 10% of the annual precipitation in the city can be attributed to the lake effect. During mid-winter, strong areas of high pressure often situate themselves over the Great Basin, leading to strong temperature inversions. This causes air stagnation and thick smog in the valley for several days to weeks at a time and can result in the worst air-pollution levels in the U.S. reducing air quality to unhealthy levels. The city has an average of three days annually with low temperatures below 0 °F, with an all-time record low temperature of -30 °F (-34 °C), which occurred on February 9, 1933. In the spring, most of the storms originate in the Pacific Ocean from the Pineapple Express, bringing in the most moisture of the entire year. Larger and cooler storms in the spring can lead to heavy overnight snowfall. Measurable snow has occurred as late as May 18. The summers of the city are marked by hot weather and are mostly dry. The monsoon rises from the Gulf of California from approximately mid-July into September, producing localized severe afternoon thunderstorms. Due to the low daytime humidity, virga, lightning, and microbursts can lead to wildfire problems. During active monsoon periods, widespread thunderstorms carrying excessive precipitation are common. High temperatures of at least 100 °F (38 °C) occur on average five times a year, but always on days with low humidity. The record high temperature is 107 °F (42 °C), which occurred first on July 26, 1960 and again on July 13, 2002. During October, the Pacific Ocean once again becomes active, bringing in more precipitation, occasionally in the form of the remnants of tropical cyclones. The remnants of Hurricane Olivia helped bring the record monthly precipitation of 7.04 in (179 mm) in September 1982. The first measurable snowfall has occurred as early as September 17.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there are 181,743 people (up from 159,936 in 1990), 71,461 households, and 39,803 families residing in the city. This amounts to 8.1% of Utah's population, 20.2% of Salt Lake County's population, and 13.6% of the Salt Lake metropolitan population. Salt Lake City proper covers 14.2% of Salt Lake County. Salt Lake City is more densely populated than the surrounding metro area with a population density of 643.3/km² (1,666.1/sq mi). There are 77,054 housing units at an average density of 706.4/sq mi (272.7/km²). The Salt Lake City-Ogden metropolitan area, which included Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber counties, had a population of 1,333,914 in 2000, a 24.4% increase over the 1990 figure of 1,072,227. Since the 2000 Census, the Census Bureau has added Summit and Tooele counties to the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, but removed Davis and Weber counties and designated them as the separate Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan area. Together with the Provo-Orem metropolitan area, which lies to the south, a roughly continuous urban corridor along the Wasatch Front is formed, which has a combined population of well over 2 million. There are 71,461 households, out of which 27.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% are married couples living together, 10.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.3% are nonfamilies. Of the 71,461 households, 3,904 were reported to be unmarried partner households: 3,047 heterosexual, 458 same-sex male, and 399 same-sex female. 33.2% o | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
