Northwest Community Plan Update

Salt Lake City is updating the Northwest Community Plan, originally adopted in 1992. This update aims to establish a vision for the Northwest Community for the next 15 years, including a revision of the North Temple Station Area Plan, and to align the overall plan with Plan Salt Lake.

Northwest Community Boundaries

Existing Conditions Report

This Existing Conditions Report provides a comprehensive overview of the Northwest Community’s current demographics, land use, connectivity, open space and natural resources, historic and cultural assets, and infrastructure. Serving as a “snapshot in time,” this report helps establish a foundational understanding of the Community’s present state.

View the Report

Draft Published: May 22, 2025

We want to hear from you!

The Northwest Community is evolving, and your input is essential to help guide its future development. Whether you’re interested in parks, housing, transportation, or community services, your feedback will play a key role in creating a plan that reflects the needs and values of everyone in our community.

Current Phase: Northwest Community Plan Draft

Share draft plan for public feedback (Available on October 24, 2025)
Community Meetings
Online Open House (Ongoing)
Commission & Council Public Hearings
Hold In-Person Events

Upcoming In-Person Engagement Events

Saturday, October 25 | 11 AM – 2 PM | Monster Block Party
Regional Athletic Complex – 2280 N Rose Park Ln

Tuesday, October 28 | 5:30 PM | Westside Coalition
NeighborWorks – 622 W 500 N

Saturday, November 1 | 10 AM – 1 PM | Pop-Up Event
Culture Coffee – 285 N 900 W

Thursday, November 20 | TBD | Backman Open Space Event
Bachman Elementary – 601 N 1500 W

Thursday, December 4 | TBD | Fairpark Community Council

Public Hearings

Wednesday, December 10 | 5:30 PM | Planning Commission (Public Hearing)
City Hall – 451 S State Street, Room 326

This hearing is scheduled to brief the commission and hear your input on the draft plan. No recommendation will be provided to the Planning Commission on this date.

Existing Conditions Engagement Summary

147 Online Survey Responses
9 In-Person Events
6 Stakeholder Interviews

Key Takeaways from the survey results and in-person outreach events

Neighborhoods

There is a perception that the Northwest Community is “the wrong side of town”
Residents feel a general lack of a sense of community
Lack of public safety
Most residents expressed that they feel good about their quality of life in the Northwest Community
Desire to highlight the diverse cultures in the community
The community is close to Downtown but should be distinct through placemaking and embracing the diversity
Increase opportunities for mixed-use developments
Increase opportunities for new local businesses to locate within existing communities
Broader capital improvement efforts to increase the urban tree canopy
Deep love for the diversity and sense of community within each neighborhood

Growth

Desire for mixed-income neighborhoods
TSA hasn’t been successful in terms of providing ground floor commercial spaces
Desire for more family-sized housing
Fear of gentrification and displacement with new development initiatives
Desire to capitalize on the “overflow” from the Power District
With the increase in housing, there is a greater need for commercial spaces
The community desires more amenities associated with everyday neighborhood needs
Mitigate displacement and gentrification

Housing

Concentration of low-income households along North Temple
Support more affordable housing
Support for more low-scale housing
Residents expressed a need for family-sized housing and home ownership opportunities
Child friendly amenities near housing developments
Belief that the neighborhoods are at capacity
Support for more low-medium density
Support and ease regulations for small multi-family developments
More townhome style development
Single-family homes have become too expensive for many

Transportation

Residents expressed a lack of parking due to TSA developments not requiring enough
Not enough parking to support local businesses
There is a lack of bike infrastructure, especially west of 900 West
There are limited public transportation options, particularly north of North Temple
No bus route north of 1000 N, no access to any public transit on the northern end
It does not currently feel like a “walkable community”, with few destinations to walk or bike to
Safe walking paths
North Temple lacks permeability and cuts off access around many blocks
No direct access from Trax to Fairpark
General support for improved road conditions
Slow traffic through the residential areas of the community
Arterial roadway improvements
Street calming
Ease access to public transportation and create better infrastructure
Create and widen ped bridges over Jordan River
Lack of crosswalks from UTA Trax to the neighborhoods
Mid-block crossings along Redwood Road
Need more east/west ped and bike crossings
Public safety is an issue with walkability, biking and public transit
More people would use public transit if there were more stops and the schedule was better

Air Quality

There is a desire among residents to mitigate impacts from nearby industrial uses
Limit the industrial uses east of 2200 West
Public infrastructure investment in transportation to reduce the number of cars
Increase urban tree canopy/vegetation
Need to acknowledge the air quality impact from the airport and Northpoint

Natural Environment

Tree coverage is lacking in the community
There is a lot of trash and lack of maintenance in public spaces
Jordan River is a great asset but needs safety and cleanliness improvements
Prioritize the Jordan River
Improved access to trails
Incentivize removing turf

Parks & Recreation

Public parks and trails do not feel safe and many of these spaces have been taken over by the unhoused
Jordan River Trail could be an amazing resource, but is not fulfilling its potential
Parks and recreation resources need better lighting
Desire for more dog parks, pickleball courts, and other amenities that east side contains
Public safety is a concern in all open space accessible to the community
The parks need more investment and kid age varied features
Inequities in the level of maintenance, investment, quantities and amenities
Ensure cleanliness of the public space so that the community feels safe to use the parks
Lack of bathrooms
More places to relax in the parks
Baby and toddler safe equipment (baby swings)
Desire for water features (splash pads/public pools)
Utilize the Utah State Fairgrounds as a community asset
Affordable amenities for families
Provide robust vegetation, trees or shade equipment in any provided public park so that the space can be enjoyable
Desire to address on-street parking associated with parks

Arts & Culture

More support for cultural events and festivals
Desire for more public art
Placemaking efforts and consistency throughout the community
Public market
Create more opportunities to celebrate the various cultures within the community

Equity

Food desert (lack of access to fresh groceries)
Fewer public transportation options than the rest of the city (highest proportion of households without a car)
Higher rates of poor air quality
Low rates of health insurance
No existing healthcare facilities
Gentrification and displacement are a concern (want to protect and enhance existing diversity of neighborhood)
Language access
Higher rates of resettled refugees
High concentration of affordable housing

Economy

Gyms and recreational uses are limited
Businesses on North Temple are vacant and leaving due to impacts from those experiencing homelessness
Lack of amenities for kids and families near apartments, including retail
North Temple should be an impressive welcoming gateway to the city
How do we protect small businesses from being displaced by chains?
Commercial areas need more investment
Most people leave the area for employment and retail opportunities
Provide more subsidies and support to local businesses throughout the community
Support a diverse mix of commercial uses
Support commercial uses near walkable areas
Create incentives or support mechanisms to create new small businesses and support the ones already there

Beautiful City

Desire for less industrious areas on south end
Want more cohesive neighborhood urban design
Integrate/implement a comprehensive placemaking initiative
Capitalize on the river investment near the Power District

Government

Zoning enforcement isn’t being applied equitably
Traffic and parking enforcement are problematic and often don’t show
How can the government support priorities of the community?
Parking infrastructure
Improve call to haul to ensure cleanliness
Funding for unsheltered housing

Share Your Input

Share your feedback by emailing: [email protected]

SLC.gov

Planning Division

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