This Online Open House will provide an opportunity for you to review information about the proposal and provide any questions or comments. This Open House meeting will be an electronic meeting pursuant to Salt Lake City Emergency Proclamation No. 2 of 2020 (2)(b).
Zoning Text Amendment
Fence Height Zoning Amendment
Petition Number: PLNPCM2020-00511
Code Section: 21A.40.120 “Regulation Of Fences, Walls and Hedges” and 21A.52.030.3 “Special Exception: Additional Height for Fences, Walls and Hedges”
Project Location: Citywide
The City Council has initiated a petition to amend the zoning ordinance regulations to remove the Special Exception process that allows for over-height fences and to define instances where a taller fence may be appropriate and approved by right. The proposed amendments would limit fence, wall, and hedge height to four feet (4’) in front yards and six feet (6’) in the side or rear yards for all zoning districts, except for in a few specific instances. Those instances include public facilities and recreation facilities where a greater height is necessary to protect public safety, private game courts, and construction fencing.
Background
Currently, fences, walls, and hedges are limited to four feet (4’) in height in front yards (up to the front façade of the building) and six feet (6’) in the side and rear yards in all zoning districts. Though an over-height fence can be approved through the Special Exception process, generally, excess fence height is only approved in limited circumstances due to compatibility issues with the development pattern and character of Salt Lake City neighborhoods. Furthermore, according to the American Planning Association, special exceptions for fence height should be discouraged in the interest of providing uniformity and clear expectations to the public.
Review Criteria
The City’s Planning Staff will review the proposal against adopted policies and regulations and provide a recommendation to the Planning Commission. The below are criteria used to analyze a proposed zoning text amendment:
- Whether a proposed text amendment is consistent with the purposes, goals, objectives, and policies of the City as stated through its various adopted planning documents;
- Whether a proposed text amendment furthers the specific purpose statements of the zoning ordinance;
- Whether a proposed text amendment is consistent with the purposes and provisions of any applicable overlay zoning districts which may impose additional standards; and
- The extent to which a proposed text amendment implements best current, professional practices of urban planning and design.
Additional Information
- Fence Height Zoning Amendment – Clean Draft (draft without edits shown) (21A.40.120/21A.52.030)
- Fence Height Zoning Amendment – Redline Edits (draft with edits shown) (21A.40.120/21A.52.030)
Next Steps
- The Planning Division is in the process of obtaining public comment on this proposal to help identify concerns and issues from the public.
- The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and will make a recommendation to City Council. The Planning Commission public hearing will be scheduled at a future date.
- The City Council will hold a public hearing and will make a final decision on the zoning amendment application. The City Council public hearing will be scheduled at a future date.
Public Comments and Questions
The public comment period closed August 27, 2020. For additional information on this project please contact the staff planner.
Krissy Gilmore // kristina.gilmore@slcgov.com // 801-535-7780
(phone numbers are currently available for voicemails only)
Please note that public comments will still be accepted up until the date of the Planning Commission public hearing.
During and following this comment period, the Planning Division will evaluate the proposal against the applicable zoning standards, taking into consideration public comments as they relate to the standards, and develop a recommendation for the Planning Commission