the North, Plain City to the West and West Haven to the South. "We're about 1,508 in population, depending on the day," says Butler, 69. "Sometimes we have a death. Sometimes we have birth." About three-quarters of the community is zoned for agricultural use. The area's first white settlers arrived about 1850 and used to farm every row crop here. Lots of sugar beets and peas, for example. Now farmers grow mostly hay and grain. But because the area has such a heavy agricultural flavor, Marriott-Slaterville is "in an exceptional position to develop a zoning ordinance model using open space concepts," according to a resolution sponsored by House Speaker Marty Stephens, R-Farr West. Because if current trends hold true, the children of today's hay farmers will want to sell off the land sometime soon. That means subdivisions and development, and Marriott-Slaterville had better be ready, Butler said. "We understand we can't stay the way we are, but we hope with proper planning, growth by becoming involved with the new laws we hope to get some help from the state." Lawmakers just passed the Utah Quality Growth Act of 1999. Gov. Mike Leavitt signed it into law Thursday. The act establishes a Quality Growth Commission that will recommend to the Legislature cities and towns deserving financial help to preserve open space. A fund established by the growth act will collect up to $6 million for open space projects. Butler hopes Marriott-Slaterville can be one of the first to get in on the financial action. The area is bordered on one side by the Weber River. It has wetlands and other natural habitat areas suitable for open space preservation. With money for a walkway across the river, for example, Marriott-Slaterville could hook into the river walkway planned in West Haven. Looking long-range, Butler sees recreation and open space development along the river. He also sees an expansion in the community's industrial park and small commercial center, which provide a decent tax base. Marriott-Slaterville has many needs though a new sewer, for example. The high water table means you have to build on a minimum one-acre lot because each home needs a septic tank. If you can hook to the sewer, you can build on a half-acre. "The model set by an open space pilot program city may benefit other cities, communities and the public," the resolution reads. The new city will be encouraged to develop a model zoning ordinance emphasizing open space preservation, to collect information on growth management and to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding open space laws. Marriott-Slaterville made lemonade out of lemons, according to Stephens. The community evolution followed the years of confusion when 217