Logan Mayoral Election 2025: Vote Alanna Nafziger

Logan is hurtling toward a turbulent future. Growth is skyrocketing. Housing is less affordable than ever. Food security is decreasing. Poverty is growing. The job market is uncertain amid a turbulent economy. Pollution and water usage continues to drive increasingly poor outcomes for local residents and the environment as a whole.

Some of these are national, as well as local, problems – but Alanna Nafziger shows that we can work toward addressing all of them, right here at home.

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TLDR — Alanna Nafziger for Logan Mayor (2025)
  • Logan faces skyrocketing growth, housing shortages, rising poverty, and environmental threats.
  • Alanna offers a fresh, working-class viewpoint rooted in landscape architecture, urban planning.
  • She’ll seek to make government more transparent, accessible, and inclusive for residents.
  • Plans to tackle housing include “missing middle” housing, smarter zoning, reduced parking minimums.
  • Committed to diversifying the economy, supporting small businesses, and attracting better jobs.
  • Focused on family health through food security, school partnerships, parks, and trails.
  • Dedicated to protecting water resources, conserving the Bear River, expanding renewable energy.
  • Election Day: November 4, 2025 — vote Alanna Nafziger for Logan mayor.

Chapters

Alanna Nafziger’s background (and why it’s perfect for Logan’s next mayor)

First, a little bit about Alanna. She is:

  • A former farmer who was raised in Logan
  • A Logan resident who was on her neighborhood steering committee
  • A college graduate with a degree in landscape architecture and urban planning

This is exactly the background Logan needs from its mayor at this point in time:

  • Alanna can speak to both urban and rural work and life experiences
  • Alanna already has experience in local politics and government operations
  • Alanna has the expertise and knowledge needed to effectively manage city growth

Especially critical, is that she doesn’t have a background in business or law. Government – local to national – is saturated with business owners, lawyers, and the like. Alanna brings in the much needed perspective of a regular person to our local governance.

And since there are already so many business owners and lawyers on hand, Alanna will have a wealth of expertise to draw on when she needs insights in those areas.

But having someone who is outside of that bubble will provide much needed representation for the working families and people in Logan. And her expertise in landscape architecture and urban planning will prove invaluable, as well, when it comes to tackling the growth and health of our city.

Logan City Main Street. Photo by Michael Hart.
A public domain photo of Logan City Main Street. Photo by Michael Hart. (No association with Rock Marketing or Alanna Nafziger.)

Alanna has actual, actionable policy for Logan, Utah

When I talked to Alanna for my Rock This World podcast, she had several actual ideas for how to make things better in Logan. While she readily admits that these plans and ideas will need to be fleshed out – plus, face the scrutiny and approval of Logan residents – it’s refreshing to see such clear direction in policy before someone even takes office.

How can Logan City’s government be made more accessible, engaging, and transparent?

One of the main reasons Alanna is running for mayor is because she feels that Logan residents are increasingly pushed aside when it comes to city policy and the decisions that impact entire neighborhoods and communities.

She was extremely disappointed in the way decisions like Logan’s fossil fuels investment and plans to cut down the trees on Canyon Road played out – saying that it seems like residents barely had time to react or be heard.

Given that, it’s no wonder she has some very specific ideas for how to prevent things like that from happening in the future.

1. Establish stronger public engagement frameworks

  • Partner with Utah State University’s Community Engagement experts to design proven frameworks for connecting residents with city decision-making.
  • Bring in nationally recognized facilitators to help city officials improve how they engage the public and manage conflict.
  • Explore resources from organizations like Strong Towns to adopt proven strategies for involving residents in shaping city policies.
  • Provide training for city officials on effective facilitation and public engagement methods.

2. Make governance and decision-making more transparent

  • Clearly communicate how and when major decisions are made and which stakeholders are involved.
  • Share accessible explanations of why specific policies, contracts, or agreements are being pursued, so residents understand impacts before decisions are finalized.
  • Ensure that residents have time to respond to proposed changes, avoiding rushed processes that limit community input.
  • Build trust by creating accountability structures where residents can review and challenge government actions when necessary.
  • Reject partnerships with agencies like ICE, which foster a culture of fear and confusion by hiding identities and operating without transparency or accountability.

3. Improve resident involvement in local planning

  • Use graphics and visual mockups to show residents what proposed zoning, housing, or infrastructure changes could look like.
  • Invite residents into early conversations about mixed-use zoning and neighborhood planning before decisions are finalized.
  • Actively address NIMBY concerns by ensuring people feel heard and included, reducing resistance to projects and fostering shared solutions.

How can Logan, Utah, tackle unprecedented growth and poverty?

Alanna acknowledges that housing costs are absolutely “excruciating” for most of us – herself included. Luckily, as someone with an understanding of landscape architecture and urban planning, she has a few ideas on how to address growth and housing – while hopefully keeping local NIMBYs satisfied, as well.

Here’s a look at some of her ideas for housing, growth, and development.

1. Manage growth through smarter housing strategies

  • Prioritize infill and upward growth rather than continued outward sprawl to better manage land use and infrastructure.
  • Promote “missing middle” housing — small-scale multi-unit homes like duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes — offering affordable options between high-rise apartments and single-family homes.
  • Reevaluate parking minimums for new developments, which currently consume valuable land and increase costs. Reducing these requirements would free space for more meaningful housing and community needs.
  • Address NIMBY concerns by involving residents early in growth-related decisions. Many objections come from people feeling excluded from the process. Using visual mockups and holding open discussions before finalizing plans can reduce resistance and help residents see the benefits of balanced, well-planned growth.

2. Increase housing affordability

  • Recognize that housing costs are “excruciating” for many Logan residents and make affordability a central priority in city planning.
  • Allow for more diverse housing types — including missing-middle housing — through thoughtful zoning updates that balance growth with neighborhood needs.
  • Integrate affordability into broader growth planning by connecting zoning changes, development incentives, and reduced parking mandates to support lower-cost housing.

3. Build connected, livable neighborhoods

  • Adopt mixed-use zoning so neighborhoods can integrate small grocery stores, cafes, and local shops, making Logan more walkable and less dependent on driving to big-box stores.
  • Improve pedestrian corridors and trail connections so that green spaces, parks, and neighborhoods are seamlessly and safely linked.
  • Encourage more community-driven planning by showing residents visual examples of what mixed-use developments or connected park systems would look like – easing NIMBY concerns by replacing speculation with concrete benefits.
  • Ease concerns, and build support for potential growth initiatives, by inviting residents into early conversations about where neighborhood shops, parks, or mixed-use spaces make sense.

How can Logan, Utah, improve its job market and local economy?

Former Utah journalist Ty Riggs called Cache Valley a veritable “Island” amid a deteriorating world. And, by all accounts, Logan’s job market and economy does look healthier than the U.S. average, but it is still a notch behind Utah’s growth and income performance. National economic pains are almost certain to impact us locally sooner or later.

Given that, being proactive in addressing the weak points of our economy is a smart way to stay ahead of the problem. Alanna noted that, from what she can see, Logan’s economy seems to tilt a little too much toward the food service and retail industries – and diversifying the kinds of jobs Logan provides is a smart way to keep Logan’s economy strong.

Here are some key ways Alanna believes Logan can build a more resilient job market.

1. Encourage entrepreneurship and small business growth

  • Change zoning policies to make it easier for residents to open small businesses of all kinds in places where they can connect to local customers.
  • Support small-scale retail and services in mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods to strengthen local spending and reduce reliance on big box stores.
  • Leverage the gardeners’ market as a launchpad for startups, helping small businesses gain exposure and build customer bases within the community.

2. Expand housing options to attract and retain workers

  • Develop more affordable housing by encouraging “missing middle” housing types — smaller, multi-unit homes between single-family houses and large apartment complexes.
  • Reduce or eliminate parking minimums for new developments, freeing up space for housing and businesses instead of excess parking lots.
  • Recognize that housing availability impacts workforce growth: attracting new employers and keeping graduates from USU requires creating places for them to live.

3. Create quality-of-life investments to support job creation

  • Expand connected parks, trails, and green spaces to make Logan a more attractive place for professionals, families, and entrepreneurs to live and work.
  • Build pedestrian corridors and invest in walkability and bikeability to link neighborhoods, parks, and local businesses – improving accessibility and encouraging local economic activity.

How can Logan, Utah, foster family growth, individual health, and child development?

Logan has long been a place for people to build families. But, in a time when many families are struggling, it’s important to think about the ways local government can help support parents in ensuring their children grow up healthy. Alanna has some key proposals for how Logan City can help local parents do this.

1. Support public education and student success

  • Partner with schools to create programs and seek grants that help students and families access resources they need.
  • Address attendance issues by providing better community and government support to reduce barriers that keep kids out of school.
  • Offer city-backed programs that ensure families have what they need so children can focus on learning rather than basic survival needs.

2. Increase food security through school and community gardens

  • Develop school gardens to provide students with hands-on education in growing food while improving access to fresh produce.
  • Create community gardens where families can grow their own food, fostering self-reliance and improving nutrition.
  • Reconnect families with Logan’s agricultural heritage by bringing back practices like home gardening and food preservation, promoting long-term health and resilience.

3. Promote outdoor access and physical activity

  • Encourage children to spend more time outdoors to improve mental health, physical health, and immune system development.
  • Integrate nature-based learning through school and community garden programs that get kids interacting with plants, soil, and sunlight.
  • Invest in parks and trail systems to make outdoor recreation more accessible for families and children.

4. Address basic family needs for stability

  • Prioritize affordable housing so families aren’t burdened by high living costs, which directly affects stability and child development.
  • Ensure access to nutritious food by supporting programs and gardens that supplement family diets with fresh, local produce.
  • Reduce financial stress by improving overall quality of life, enabling parents to focus more on their children’s growth and development.

How can Logan, Utah, ensure the long-term survival of Cache Valley and the Great Salt Lake?

The Bear River — Cache Valley’s primary water source — is the largest tributary feeding the Great Salt Lake. Overuse and mismanagement of this resource threaten the lake’s survival and the entire region’s ability to sustain people. Similarly, continued reliance on fossil fuels worsens climate pressures and the health of residents.

The last thing we want is another Dust Bowl. Here are some ways Alanna believes we can avoid what is becoming an increasingly dire, and likely, fate.

1. Prioritize water conservation

  • Join statewide water conservation programs like Slow the Flow and Utah Water Savers. These offer rebates for things like converting lawns to drought-tolerant landscaping, installing water-efficient toilets, and using smart sprinkler technology.
  • Promote responsible water use policies to ensure Logan’s growth does not worsen regional shortages.
  • Emphasize local stewardship: Logan’s decisions directly impact downstream ecosystems, the long-term health of the Great Salt Lake, and the long-term survival of the entire multi-state region.

2. Transition away from fossil fuels by investing in renewable energy

  • Revisit Logan’s energy strategy (if possible): The city previously committed $500M over 30 years to fossil fuel investments, which is misaligned with long-term environmental needs and likely to lead to worse health outcomes for local residents.
  • Explore solar energy: Solar technology has become increasingly efficient and cost-effective, making it a realistic path for Logan.
  • Evaluate renewable options carefully: While nuclear energy offers low emissions, concerns include toxic waste disposal and high water usage for cooling, which would strain Cache Valley’s already limited water resources.
A look at Logan, Utah, in Cache Valley, from the Wedge Neighborhood.
A look at Logan, Utah, in Cache Valley, from the Wedge Neighborhood.

Alanna Nafsizger is the mayor Logan, Utah, needs – vote November 4, 2025!

It’s clear that Alanna has plans for all the major pain points local Logan residents are hurting from today – or will be impacted by soon, if we do nothing:

  • Affordable housing and rising poverty
  • Job opportunities amid economic chaos
  • Family health and child development
  • Long-term resource sustainability
  • Government accessibility

And it’s clear she has the background, knowledge, and skills to approach these problems and address them – all while listening to others and navigating the different needs of many people.

Please make sure to vote November 4, 2025 – and please make sure it’s a vote for Alanna Nafziger for Logan mayor! Be sure to check your voter registration now to make sure you don’t run into any roadblocks on Election Day!

FAQ – Alanna Nafziger for Logan Mayor (2025)

Who is Alanna Nafziger?

Alanna is a Logan native and former farmer with a degree in landscape architecture and urban planning. She’s served on a local neighborhood steering committee and brings a working-class perspective to local government.

Why is she running for mayor of Logan, Utah?

Alanna wants to make Logan’s government more transparent, accessible, and responsive to residents. She believes residents should have a stronger voice in decisions affecting housing, growth, and resources.

What are her top priorities?

  • Managing rapid growth and addressing housing affordability
  • Making government more open and accountable
  • Supporting small businesses and diversifying Logan’s economy
  • Strengthening family health and food security
  • Protecting water resources and investing in sustainability

How will she address housing and growth?

Alanna supports “missing middle” housing options like duplexes and townhomes, reducing parking minimums, and involving residents early in zoning and development decisions to balance growth with community needs.

What’s her plan for Logan’s economy?

She wants to diversify beyond retail and food service by supporting local entrepreneurs, reassessing zoning restrictions, growing walkable districts, and creating better conditions to attract and retain quality jobs.

How will she support families and children?

Alanna advocates for school partnerships, food security programs, community gardens, expanded parks, and safe pedestrian connections — helping families thrive while improving children’s health and development.

What’s her stance on water and sustainability?

Alanna prioritizes protecting Cache Valley’s water supply, joining statewide conservation programs, and exploring renewable energy options while revisiting Logan’s long-term fossil fuel investments.

When is the election?

Election Day is November 4, 2025. Check your voter registration early to avoid issues at the polls and be sure to vote for Alanna Nafziger for Logan Mayor!