Mayor Erin Mendenhall has initiated a zoning text amendment to correct driveway and loading area standards found in the zoning code. Chapter 21A.44 was amended in October 2022 and since then, staff has found that certain standards created unintended consequences. This petition will allow staff to revisit these standards to adequately address parking needs and city goals. This zoning amendment would also correct language in other related sections of the code.

Learn more // View Open House

Staff Contact: Madison Blodgett, Principal Planner // madison.blodgett@slcgov.com // 801.535.7749

The Planning Division has initiated a zoning text amendment that would prohibit the demolition of housing to construct or expand standalone commercial parking lots/structures. This amendment is intended to be part of a package of changes that implements Thriving in Place (TIP). In addition to the initial idea of prohibiting the demolition of homes for standalone parking, Planning is also analyzing the prohibition of housing demolition for the expansion of existing parking lots.

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Staff Contact: Cassie Younger, Senior Planner // cassie.younger@slcgov.com // 801.535.6211

Salt Lake City Planning Division is working to revise sections in Chapter 21A.27 – Form Based Districts that are incorrect or inconsistent with the purpose of the district. More specifically:

• Subsection 21A.27.020.C Building Form Standards: The section contains language that exempts certain building additions from development standards, such as setback, height, density and design standards. We propose to delete this section because it conflicts with the purpose and intent of the zoning ordinance, and it is inconsistent with the purpose of the district.
• Section 21A.27.030: Building Configuration and Design Standards: Some exemption to building additions is warranted and will be included in this section. For example, changes to existing buildings not affecting a building entrance will not require compliance with entry features standards, and small additions will not trigger open space area requirements.
• Footnotes in Table 21A.27.050.C.3.

Any other inconsistent regulations or incorrect regulations that are identified as part of the project will also be included in the proposal.

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Staff Contact: Noah Elmore, Associate Planner // noah.elmore@slcgov.com // 801.535.7971

Salt Lake City is proposing to amend the Sign Ordinance to create standards regulating electronic message centers, or electronic signs. The proposed standards will include things like brightness limits, display hours, and identify zones where they are not permitted.

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Staff Contact: Katilynn Harris, Principal Planner // katilynn.harris@slcgov.com // 801.535.6179

Salt Lake City has initiated a petition to amend sections of the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance relating to the required number of Planning and Historic Landmark Commissioners. Also included in this amendment is the removal of the Appeals Hearing Officer term limits. This amendment will affect chapter 21A.06 Decision Making Bodies and Officials.

The proposed amendments are intended to increase the required number of voting members on the Planning Commission from nine (9) to eleven (11) and the number of required voting members on the Historic Landmark Commission from seven (7) to eleven (11). In addition to commission size, this amendment removes the term limit language for the appeals hearing officer, so that an Appeals Officer may be reappointed to more than two consecutive terms.  

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Staff Contact: Olivia Cvetko, Principal Planner // olivia.cvetko@slcgov.com // 801.535.7285

Mayor Erin Mendenhall has initiated a petition directing the Salt Lake City Planning Division to update the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance, and the Historic Residential and Multifamily/Historic Apartment Design Guidelines, to address the use of vinyl windows in new construction projects in the City’s local historic districts (LHDs). 

Please note that this only applies to new construction in the City’s local historic districts and to individually listed landmark sites throughout the City. View map of the City’s local historic districts.

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Staff Contact: Lex Traughber // lex.traughber@slcgov.com // 801.535.6184

The Salt Lake City Planning Division is proposing a text amendment to update the standards related to projecting signs in commercial and mixed-use districts. Currently, Salt Lake City Code only permits projecting signs in a few of its commercial districts. This amendment primarily focuses on allowing projecting business signs as an approved sign type in all commercial and mixed-use districts. The amendment also includes minor amendments to fix small grammatical errors and improvements to general clarity in the Sign ordinance.

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Staff Contact: Grant Amann, Principal Planner // grant.amann@slcgov.com // 801.535.6171

The Salt Lake City Planning Division is proposing a text amendment to update the standards related to attached structures, which includes garages, entrance landings, and building foundations. In 2021, Utah State code was amended, changing standards required of these structures. The changes to the state code also imposed limitations on what municipalities can require in terms of design elements.

City code needs to be updated to match these regulations. The amendment would focus on aligning the standards with city goals and addressing state law. This zoning amendment would also correct language in other related sections of the code.

Learn more // View Open House

Staff Contact: Grant Amann, Principal Planner // grant.amann@slcgov.com // 801.535.6171

Salt Lake City has initiated a petition to amend sections of the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance relating to the proposed MU-8 Form Based Mixed Use Subdistrict 8. Specifically, amendments to chapter 21A.46 Signs, which addresses sign regulations for each zoning district. The proposed amendments are intended to establish sign regulations for the proposed MU-8 zoning district.

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Staff Contact: Brooke Olson, Principal Planner // brooke.olson@slcgov.com // 801.535.7118

A decision was made by the City Council on April 16, 2024. See Council’s recap. 

Mayor Erin Mendenhall has initiated a petition for a zoning text amendment to address unlawful construction and demolition activities in local historic districts and landmark sites. This proposed text amendment does the following: 

• Brings city regulations into alignment with preservation objectives. 
• Establish a new process to remedy alterations or demolition that occur without city approvals.
• Adds enforcement penalties to prevent and respond to violations in the local historic districts and to local historic landmark sites.
• Requires reconstruction of an illegally demolished historic building. 
• Requires a restrictive convent be recorded after reconstruction of a historic building. That covenant would explicitly prohibit demolition of the reconstructed building for 25 years.

 Learn more // View Project Open House

Staff Contact: Mayara Lima // Mayara.lima@slcgov.com // 801.535.6141

Salt Lake City is considering updates to portions of the Land Use Code to implement policies identified in Thriving in Place to mitigate involuntary displacement due to development pressure. The updates include the creation of a new Title 19 General Plans and amendments to Title 21A.50 Amendments to create a community benefit policy, require tenant relocation assistance, and require replacement of demolished units associated with a zoning or general plan amendment. 

Learn more // View Project Page

Staff Contact: Krissy Gilmore // kristina.gilmore@slcgov.com // 801.535.7780

Salt Lake City’s Planning Division is considering updates to the Landscaping Chapter in the Zoning Ordinance. The purpose of the Zoning Ordinance text amendment is to better address landscaping regulations as the effects of climate change are experienced through extreme drought conditions and changing weather patterns. The amendments are intended to better conform to City goals of reduction of water consumption, enhancement of the urban forest, and improvements to air quality and green infrastructure.

Learn more // Landscaping and Buffers Chapter Amendments.

Staff Contact: Nannette Larsen // nannette.larsen@slcgov.com // 801.535.7645

The City Council adopted the proposed amendments on December 5, 2023.

This proposal would update the city’s subdivision rules to comply with state code requirements and improve how the code is administered. Most of the rules are not changing, but the code is being reorganized to follow a more logical order.

The proposal includes the following key categories of changes:

• Updated requirements for subdividers to install utilities, including water, sewer, storm drain, and electricity.
• Updated list of things that the subdivider must pay for and install including all water and sewer lines, streets, curb and gutter, sidewalks, streetlights, street trees, park strips, stormwater drainage, flood control, and easements.
• Requires all streets, sidewalks, trails, and bike paths to be installed when identified in the city’s general plan.
• A subdivider must protect natural features, including streams, rivers, wetlands, wooded areas, and wildlife habitats.
• Clarifies that development on slopes over 30 degrees in the foothills is prohibited as part of new subdivisions.
• Required cleaning up of pollutants on any land within a subdivision that is proposed to be dedicated to the city.
• Establishes requirements for providing mid-block streets and walkways when a subdivision is over 5 acres in size and in a zoning district that allows dwellings.
• Creates new rules for changing the dimensions of existing lots or combining lots.

Learn more // View Open House

Staff Contacts:

• Eric Daems // eric.daems@slcgov.com // 801.535.7236
• Grant Amann // grant.amann@slcgov.com // 801.535.6171