Council Work Session Meeting

ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES:

• COVID: SLCo is in a Low Transmission range based on the CDC website. The state information is no longer considered accurate because of a shift in testing. We will begin looking at items such as hospitalizations (which have gone down), vaccination rates (low among young people and on the West Side), and wastewater data (sharply heading down, which is good).

• COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Affordable Housing Overlay – Virtual and In-Person events this month, Glendale Waterpark Survey – Closes on the 16th, several Traffic/Street projects are accepting public comment, East-West Connections survey is open until April 10th. More info on these and other projects at: slc.gov/feedback

• HOMELESSNESS: 98% occupancy in HRCs, winter programs are starting to wind down. 801-990-9999 is still the best way to connect an individual with services. The Conference of Mayors has met and appointed a subcommittee to come up with a future plan for overflow. By Sept. 1 a plan is supposed to be submitted to the state. If no plan is submitted it goes to the backup option for the state to use a state facility and allow current HRCs to increase their cap by 25%.

• JOB OPPORTUNITIES: There are dozens of seasonal jobs that are open, mostly in our Public Lands Department. Tomorrow in Jordan Park there is a job fair.

• EQUITY UPDATE: Kaletta Lynch and Ashley Lichte met with us today. We received updates on the meetings of the Human Rights Commission and the Racial Equity in Policing Commission. One of the active projects is creating a training curriculum for the Police Department about the history of Policing in BIPOC Communities to be taught by BIPOC facilitators. This was one of the suggestions from the REP Commission in their first phase of work. Ashley gave us an update on the Accessibility and Disability Commission. The next step is to review and interview the applicants for that commission. We will be meeting them at our April 12 and 19 meetings. There are 12 individuals the mayor has recommended which leaves 3 additional vacancies.

CDBG AND OTHER FEDERAL HUD GRANTS: This is a follow-up discussion on the CDBG Funding log. We discussed some potential changes that various Council Members (CMs) are interested in. CM Petro suggested moving from $27K from #15 (HRC Meals @ $57K) and $10K from #16 (South Valley Sanctuary) in order to fund #25 (YWCA Women in Jeopardy Program) at about $37K. We straw-polled this item and this received support from the 6 CMs present (CM Valdemoros was absent). CM Fowler suggested moving $171K from the Home Development Fund (in the Housing Stability Division) to Neighborworks’ Affordable Home Buying Program. This was straw polled and passed (6-0) along with a suggestion to hold the remainder in a holding account pending more information.

COMMUNITY RECOVERY COMMITTEE ARPA FUNDS: This was a discussion about the process for distributing $4M that the mayor has recommended for community businesses and organizations out of our ARPA $$. We talked a lot about equity, making sure it’s directed to businesses who truly need it, for whom it will make a real impact, and who traditionally aren’t able to access similar funds. Prior to this conversation, I was hesitant about the intent of the funding. Not because I don’t see a need in the community but because I wasn’t sure this was truly the greatest need in the community. I particularly think deeply affordable housing is a pressing and urgent need which we currently aren’t directing any of the APRA funds toward. Notwithstanding, the conversation today helped me get more comfortable with this recommendation.

CURRENT CITY HOUSING/PLANNING PROJECTS OVERVIEW: This conversation was about a high level of several Housing and Planning projects currently underway in the city. These are projects related to housing, zoning, urban planning, and urban growth. I was encouraged to hear some updates on projects that I consider important. We also discussed as a council the need to move forward with some of the projects that will help turn the tide of our housing affordability crisis. Some of these ordinances and changes have been on our plate for years and hopefully, today’s discussion will help bring them back to the surface.

ROSE PARK LANE AND 2350 NORTH (HUNTER STABLES) ANNEXATION: This is a procedural step in the council eventually considering adding in about 20 acres of land outside the north border of SLC into our jurisdictional boundary. This land is currently in unincorporated SL County.

REIMAGINE NATURE – PUBLIC LANDS MASTER PLAN: This is a new and robust plan for how we will manage, enhance, activate, and protect our public lands, parks, urban forest, trails, golf courses, etc. I’m particularly excited about this plan as I see public spaces and parks as critical to the quality of life of our residents, particularly as the city grows. This has always been a priority for me and something I hear a lot about from my constituents. So, I’m excited about this plan and hopeful that it will lead to real improvements, not just unrealized ideas.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS: We met 3 residents who the mayor has appointed to serve the city on three different city boards: Amanda De Lucia – Historic Landmark Commission, Richard Layman – Sugarhouse Park Authority Board Of Trustees, Katie Hansen – Utah Performing Arts Center Agency. If you are interested in serving our city please check out the boards and commissions at: https://www.slc.gov/boards/

Formal Meeting

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

• GRANT APPLICATIONS: This item was to receive public comment on the following grants: Building Resilient Infrastructure And Communities, Assistance To Firefighters, State Justice Institute, Utah State Cancer Plan, Emergency Service And Preparedness, and the Forensic Science Improvement Grant. These are grants the city has applied for to receive outside funding that would support city projects and needs. No commenters spoke to these items. We closed the public hearing and referred these to a future consent agenda.

• STEALTH TOWERS TEXT AMENDMENTS: Two commenters spoke and they were mixed between support and opposition. We closed the public hearing and deferred action to a future council meeting.

• ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AT WESTERN GARDENS: Two comments were received on this. One from Cindy Cromar and one from an adjacent neighbor to the subject parcel.

GENERAL COMMENTS: Comments related to a variety of items including a new bus stop location, Reimagine Nature (the proposed Public Lands Master Plan), Foothills Trails, Affordable Housing Units, and Zoning, etc.

ACTION + POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS:

• REZONE AT APPROXIMATELY 2333 WEST NORTH TEMPLE: Approved

• HUNTER STABLES ANNEXATION: Approved (just the acceptance of the application, not the entire process).