Council adopts Downtown building height rules and early notification changes, and releases $10 million contingent housing fund contribution
June 6, 2023, 7:00 p.m. · City & County Building, 451 South State Street, Salt Lake City
With five members present, the Council voted 5-0 to adopt the Downtown building height and street activation text amendment, the early notification ordinance, and fiscal year 2022-23 Budget Amendment No. 6 (with a $10 million Perpetual Housing Fund item made contingent on a term sheet). It held a combined public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-24 budget and deferred action, and continued the airport revenue bond hearing to June 13 because of a noticing error. Council Members Amy Fowler and Chris Wharton were absent. The meeting was held jointly with the Local Building Authority and Redevelopment Agency.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Downtown building height and street activation text amendment | Approved · 5-0 |
| Early notification text amendment | Approved · 5-0 |
| Budget Amendment No. 6 for fiscal year 2022-23 | Approved with conditions · 5-0 |
| Fiscal year 2023-24 budget public hearing | Continued · 5-0 |
| Airport revenue bonds, Series 2023 | Continued · 5-0 |
| Cannon Greens Community Garden lease hearing | Continued · 5-0 |
| Housing SLC five-year housing plan hearing | Continued · 5-0 |
| Salt Lake City School District pole signs | Continued · 5-0 |
| Grant applications public hearing | Continued · 5-0 |
| Hearing dates set for rezones and nonconforming signs | Approved · 4-0-1 |
| Grant holding account items and board appointments | Approved · 5-0 |
| Local Building Authority and Redevelopment Agency budget hearings | Continued · 5-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item H2 · Zoning
Downtown building height and street activation text amendment
Approved · 5-0
The Council adopted Ordinance 24 of 2023, amending Title 21A building height standards in the Downtown Plan area, covering the D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, G-MU, CG, FB-UN1 and FB-UN2 districts. It also adopted a legislative action initiating a petition to study bird-friendly glass and recommend best practices.
- Petitioner: Mayor Erin Mendenhall
- Petition: PLNPCM2022-00529
Item H1 · City code
Early notification text amendment
Approved · 5-0
The Council adopted Ordinance 23 of 2023, changing City code on early notification of the public and recognized community organizations for land use projects. The Council initiated the petition to increase public awareness and participation while keeping review timely for applicants.
Item H3 · Budget
Budget Amendment No. 6 for fiscal year 2022-23
Approved with conditions · 5-0
The Council adopted Ordinance 25 of 2023 in two motions. The first approved the listed items, including $291,000 for the Cultural Core, $823,548 for the Liberty Park Seven Canyons Fountain rescope, $1.38 million for the Steiner Aquatics Center roof, $1 million for flood mitigation, $14,603,080 in additional ARPA revenue replacement and a $2.2 million Fire impact fee payment. The second approved a $10 million ARPA contribution to the Perpetual Housing Fund as a contingent appropriation subject to Council approval of a term sheet.
- Budget$1.38 million
- Budget$823,548
- Budget$14.6 million
- Budget$10.0 million
- Budget$1.00 million
- Motion 2 (item A-15) made the $10 million contingent on a Council-approved term sheet
Item G13-24 · Budget
Fiscal year 2023-24 budget public hearing
Continued · 5-0
The Council held one public hearing on the library fund budget, the city budget, the tax levy, the consolidated fee schedule, the non-represented employee compensation plan, three union MOU appropriations, and code changes on accessible parking violations, board member status, past due fees and parking meter bagging. It then closed the hearing and deferred action. Speakers raised west side funding, police spending versus housing, sanctioned campgrounds, alleyways, e-bike parking, tenant relocation, drainage and sidewalks at 700 North and Riverside Drive, and insulation in affordable housing.
Item G4 · Contract
Airport revenue bonds, Series 2023
Continued · 5-0
The Council continued the hearing on a parameters resolution for up to $600 million in Airport Revenue Bonds for the new Salt Lake City International Airport to June 13 due to a noticing error.
- Bond$600.0 million
Item G1 · Parks
Cannon Greens Community Garden lease hearing
Continued · 5-0
The Council held the public hearing on below-market leases of eight City parcels (2.41 acres) for urban farming and deferred action. One speaker talked about programming for women at the shelter.
Item G2 · General plan
Housing SLC five-year housing plan hearing
Continued · 5-0
Speakers said the plan would not solve the overall housing problem, asked for deeply affordable housing and sanctioned campgrounds, and thanked planning staff. The Council closed the hearing and deferred action.
Item G3 · City code
Salt Lake City School District pole signs
Continued · 5-0
The Council held a hearing on a text amendment allowing freestanding pole signs on school properties in more zoning districts, petitioned by the Salt Lake City School District. No one spoke; action was deferred.
- Petition: PLNPCM2021-00190
Item G5-12 · Other
Grant applications public hearing
Continued · 5-0
The Council held one hearing on eight grant applications: 200 South Transit Corridor Phase 3 (FTA), two TANF capacity-building grants for YouthCity Fairpark and the Fairpark Family Learning Center, two Utah Office for Crime Victims grants for prosecutor victim advocates, a Recreation Trails Program grant for Jordan River Water Trail debris removal, a Paul Coverdell crime lab accreditation grant and an NREL expert match grant. One speaker supported the Violence Against Women grant. The items were referred to a future consent agenda.
Item L1-L4, L9 · Zoning
Hearing dates set for rezones and nonconforming signs
Approved · 4-0-1
On consent the Council set July 11, 2023 hearings on Riverside Cottages (1500 West 500 North), a rezone at 1549 South 1000 West, 510 South 200 West (D-2 to D-1), nonconforming signs, and 1350-1370 South West Temple (RB to TSA-UC-C; petitioner the applicant). Council Member Darin Mano recused himself on the West Temple item (L9), which passed 4-0; the minutes give no reason.
Item L5-L8 · Appointment
Grant holding account items and board appointments
Approved · 5-0
On consent the Council approved Grant Holding Account Items (Batch No. 10), the appointments of Melissa Greis (Sister Cities Board) and Jennifer Mayer-Glenn (Human Rights Commission) and the reappointment of Daniel Gaffin (Housing Advisory and Appeals Board).
Item B/D · Budget
Local Building Authority and Redevelopment Agency budget hearings
Continued · 5-0
Before the Council portion, the Local Building Authority and the Redevelopment Agency each held a public hearing on their fiscal year 2023-24 budgets. There were no comments and each referred action to a future meeting, 5-0.
What residents said
West side fundingPolice spending versus housingSanctioned campgroundsDrainage and sidewalks at 700 North and Riverside Drive
Speakers at the budget hearing raised west side funding, policing versus housing, sanctioned campgrounds, alleys and traffic, e-bike security, tenant relocation, drainage and sidewalks on 700 North and Riverside Drive, and building insulation. In general comments, speakers addressed repair and security of the Peace Gardens statue, police funding, sanctioned campgrounds and setbacks on a downtown building.