Holladay council adopts 2026-27 budget, keeps tax rate at 0.001281 and holds firm on fireworks limits
June 11, 2026, 6:00 p.m. · Holladay Council Chambers, 3330 South 1300 East, Millcreek
The Holladay City Council voted unanimously on June 11 to adopt the fiscal 2026-27 budget, set the property tax rate at 0.001281 with no tax increase, rezone four parcels near Highland Drive and 6060 South to multi-family, keep its ban on personal fireworks east of 1300 East and amend the affordable housing agreement for Royal Holladay Hills. More than a dozen residents spoke about two closed canal trails. In a work session afterward, staff updated the council on City Hall renovation costs and the Spring Lane park design. The minutes were approved July 16.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 28, 2026.
In brief
14 items came up for a decision or discussion: 11 approved and 3 discussed.
The agenda records 5 dollar amounts, the largest $10.0 million.
6 items here are tracked in the city's development tracker.
This write-up links 3 source documents and the meeting video.
5 members were present and 1 absent (Council Member Natalie Bradley (excused)).
Residents raised canal trail closures, trail safety and vandalism, construction dust and work hours at the mall redevelopment, tree removal, and fence height rules.
The previous City Council meeting was on June 4, 2026: Holladay council holds hearings on a Highland Drive townhome rezone and the 2026-27 budget; stormwater fee to rise to $7.50 in 2027
The next one was on July 16, 2026: Holladay council denies appeal over Casper Cottage permit 6-0 and adopts sidewalk maintenance policy; cemetery rezone vote deferred
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item II · Public hearing
Public comment: closed canal trails and Cottonwood Mall construction
Discussed
Residents on both sides of the canal trail question spoke; the mayor said the canals and gates are not city property and no city trail project is planned. A speaker also reported unanswered code-enforcement complaints about dust, early construction hours and tree removal at the mall site.
Item III · Public safety
Ratify Ordinance 2026-03A: personal fireworks restrictions east of 1300 East
Approved · 5-0
The council passed the restriction in April and agreed to revisit it before fireworks season. Council Members Gray and Durham and the mayor said recent fires in the valley, including one on Ensign Peak the day before, gave them no reason to loosen it.
Item IV · Zoning
Ordinance 2026-07: rezone parcels on Highland Drive and 6060 South to R-M
Approved · 5-0
Rezones three parcels at 6037, 6048 and 6051 Highland Drive from R-2-10, and one parcel at 1995 East 6060 South from R-1-10, to Residential Multi-Family. The council adopted it without discussion.
Item V · Budget
Ordinance 2026-08: amend the fiscal 2025-26 budget
Approved · 5-0
Amends the budget for the year ending June 30, 2026. Adopted without discussion.
Item VI · Taxes and fees
Ordinance 2026-09: 2026-27 property tax rate of 0.001281
Approved · 5-0
Finance Director Christian Larsen said the certified tax rate fell as property values rose, so city revenue stays flat at about $8.6 million without a tax increase. Real property value rose 5.5% and the average Holladay home is valued at $1,084,900, versus $657,000 countywide. Because commercial and residential values shifted, the city tax on an average home moves from $754 to $764, a $10 change that is not a rate increase. City Attorney Todd Godfrey noted a clerical fix to the ordinance heading to read 2026-2027. If the state changes the certified rate before the June 13 deadline, the council would need a virtual meeting.
- Projected revenue (estimate)$8.61 million
- Tax rate: 0.001281
- Average home value: $1,084,900 (county average $657,000)
- Average-home city tax: $754 to $764
- Real property value change: +5.5%; centrally assessed +7.3%; personal property -2.7%
- County collection rate: 97.42%
Item VII · Budget
Ordinance 2026-10: compensation schedule for elected, executive and appointed officers
Approved · 5-0
Approves the pay schedule for elected, executive, appointed and other municipal officers. Adopted without discussion.
Item VIII · Budget
Ordinance 2026-11: adopt the fiscal 2026-27 budget
Approved · 5-0
The council adopted the final budget. Mayor Fotheringham thanked staff and the Unified Police Department and Unified Fire Authority, whose budgets each rose less than 2.4%. He said it was his ninth budget season and his first as mayor.
Item IX · Taxes and fees
Resolution 2026-16: amend the consolidated fee schedule
Approved · 5-0
A cost-recovery study led to changes that capture more of the cost of some city services; some fees take effect January 1, 2027. City Manager Gina Chamness said most businesses will see their annual fee fall, and the city will notify businesses once the resolution passes and ask for feedback.
Item X · Contract
Resolution 2026-17: fourth amendment to the Salt Lake County public works interlocal agreement
Approved · 5-0
The city entered a five-year agreement four years ago for the county to provide public works services; it is amended yearly to match the budget. Chamness said this is the last amendment under the existing contract and the council will discuss how to proceed next fiscal year.
- ContractAmount not given to Salt Lake County
Item XI · Appointment
Resolution 2026-18: reappoint two Planning Commission members
Approved · 5-0
Brian Berndt and Angela Gong were reappointed to the Planning Commission for terms ending June 30, 2029. Commissioners may serve two terms.
Item XII · Other
Resolution 2026-19: amend the employee manual
Approved · 5-0
Juneteenth is set as June 19 in the manual and the sick leave accrual policy changes; employees above the new cap get a deposit into a 401(k) or 457(b) account.
Item XIII · Development
Resolution 2026-20: amend the affordable housing agreement with KMW Development for Royal Holladay Hills
Approved · 5-0
Mayor Fotheringham said the amendment, discussed earlier in the Redevelopment Agency meeting, changes the unit mix to a more varied set of units, including larger ones.
Item XV · Other
Council reports
Discussed
Council Member Gray said UTA and UDOT plan to keep the Wasatch Boulevard park-and-ride open as overflow after the mobility hub opens, which could allow limits on street parking. The mayor said Chief Justin Hoyal is being promoted to assistant chief of the Unified Police Department and interviews for the Holladay precinct chief job are set for July 6.
Item WS-1 · Roads and utilities
Work session: City Hall renovation and Spring Lane park design and costs
Discussed
Assistant City Engineer Joe Bolton said demolition at City Hall is mostly done, footings for the south vestibule start next day, and completion is still scheduled for mid-September 2027. Moving new seismic walls to avoid mechanical and plumbing conflicts adds cost still being priced, but gains 16 inches of hallway width. Finance staff said the project is funded by the $10 million 2025 lease revenue bond, a $730,000 state tourism grant for the auditorium, a $100,000 energy efficiency grant with a $43,000 city match, and $5.8 million transferred from the capital projects fund; a federal earmark is on hold pending a FEMA funding notice. About $10 million in cash is expected for Spring Lane. Assistant City Manager Holly Smith showed the revised Spring Lane plan: a 0.75-acre dog park moved off the east boundary with added trees, four pickleball courts with buffering, an all-ages playground with shade sails, a pavilion seating at least 50, an outside walking trail and a heritage trellis that evokes the former school without reusing its salvaged beams. Council members supported the plan; the mayor asked about turf and irrigation and Smith said more information would come July 16. Two grant applications are pending.
- Bond$10.0 million
- Grant$730,000
- Grant$100,000
- Projected revenue (estimate)$8.97 million
What residents said
Canal trail closuresTrail safety and vandalismConstruction dust and work hours at the mall redevelopmentTree removalFence height rules
About a dozen residents spoke about two canal trail access points, at Fardown Avenue and Arbor Lane, that have been closed or gated in recent months. Residents who use the trail described decades of walking, dog walking and community use between Fardown Avenue and 6200 South, and a volunteer offered to clear trash and weeds. Residents along the canal described vandalism, drug paraphernalia, pet waste and loss of privacy and did not want more public access. One speaker cited Utah's prescriptive-use statute and asked the council to find out who owns the land. A separate speaker raised construction dust, early work hours, tree removal and a 6-foot wall at the Cottonwood Mall redevelopment and said city code enforcement had not responded to complaints he filed. Mayor Fotheringham said the city owns none of the canal property, that most of it belongs to Salt Lake City Public Utilities, that the city has no trail projects planned and did not post the closure sign, and offered to find out who owns the Fardown Avenue land.