Salt Lake City

Planning

Planning Division | (801) 535-7700 | zoning@slcgov.com

Special Exception Code Changes

Zoning Text Amendment

Special Exception Code Changes

Petition Number: PLNPCM2020-00606

Zoning District: Citywide 

The special exception code changes project is a proposal to eliminate the special exception process from the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance. There are more than 40 authorized exceptions in the zoning ordinance. This proposal would either:

  • Prohibit specific modifications that are routinely denied;
  • Allow by-right specific modifications that are routinely approved;
  • Move specific exceptions to other processes already authorized in the ordinance.

The number of special exception applications have grown from 37 in 2011 to 149 in 2019. The increase is directing staff resources away from addressing citywide growth-related issues and instead focusing staff resources towards individual developments. Special exceptions required the equivalent of almost two full time employees to process the applications in 2019. This accounts for about 10% of the total workload.

View the Proposed Special Exception Code Changes.

View Draft of the Proposed Ordinance

What are Special Exceptions?

Special exceptions are minor changes to an incidental use of property or a dimensional requirement in the zoning ordinance. Examples include additional fence height, additions to buildings that don’t meet current setback requirements, outdoor dining, taller accessory buildings, utility boxes in park strips, and other similar types of changes.

The process includes a mailed notice to next door neighbors for input before a decision.  More than 95% of the applications are approved. The decisions are usually made by planning staff, but controversial requests or requests that cannot be approved by staff are referred to the Planning Commission or Historic Landmark Commission.

What Concerns is Salt Lake City Looking to Address?

The special exception process creates a number of issues:

  • Special exceptions require staff resources to be allocated to processing applications that only benefit individual property owners instead of addressing citywide growth issues and implementing master plans through other code updates.
  • The zoning ordinance is forcing an inequitable subsidy of city resources to the benefit of individual property owners without any benefit to the general public. The application fees cover between 10% and 40% of the total cost to process the application with the rest being covered through the general fund. 
  • Special exceptions result in a complicated zoning ordinance that is difficult and costly to administer. 
  • The number of exceptions results in development patterns being unpredictable.
  • Special exceptions also create confusion with applicants because they often believe that the request will be approved and are surprised when the application is denied.

Public Comments and Questions

The public comment period closed October 10, 2020. For additional information on this project please contact the staff planner.

Nick Norris // Planning Director // nick.norris@slcgov.com


During and following this comment period, the Planning Division will evaluate the proposal against the applicable amendment standards, taking into consideration public comments as they relate to the standards, and develop a recommendation for the Planning Commission.

Share "Special Exception Code Changes" to your social network: