Council adopts peace resolution, Avenues covenant release and Budget Amendment No. 4; defers University of Utah stadium lease
February 20, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
The council adopted a ceremonial resolution regarding peace, released the city's interest in restrictive covenants on 18 Avenues properties, and adopted Budget Amendment No. 4, all unanimously. It closed hearings on the University of Utah baseball lease at Sunnyside Park and the tenant displacement rules while deferring action, and continued the 1300 South rezone hearing. Public comment, which ran late into the night, again focused on Gaza.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item A5 · Other
Ceremonial resolution regarding peace
Approved · 7-0
Council members each read a section of the resolution before adopting Resolution 3 of 2024. Representatives of the Department of Homeland Security also introduced their work on targeted violence and hate and bias incidents.
Item B1 · Parks
University of Utah baseball stadium public benefits analysis (public hearing)
Tabled · 7-0
Fifteen speakers addressed a proposed 99-year below-market ground lease of 1.175 acres at about 1735 Sunnyside Avenue, which would remove a softball field and a multipurpose field in exchange for $4.2 million from the university. Several speakers supported it, citing park reinvestment and benefits for youth sports; others opposed or asked for more study, citing use fees, the length of the lease, neighborhood parking and safety, field loss, and whether the money would go to the General Fund rather than open space. One speaker asked for pedestrian and vehicle safety terms for construction. The council closed the hearing and deferred action.
- Land deal$4.20 million to University of Utah
Item B2 · City code
Avenues restrictive covenant release (public hearing)
Approved · 7-0
The council closed the hearing and adopted Ordinance 6 of 2024, relinquishing the city's interest in restrictive covenants on 18 single-family properties in the Avenues near LDS Hospital. A homeowner on one of the affected properties spoke in favor, saying removal would allow a garage and accessory dwelling unit. The ordinance does not change zoning.
Item B3 · Zoning
Rezone at 2260, 2270 and 2290 East 1300 South (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
No one spoke. The council continued the public hearing to a future meeting, after earlier briefings in which members asked for affordability commitments.
- Applicant: the applicant
- Petition: PLNPCM2023-00385
- Current zone to proposed: R-1/7,000 to CB
Item B4 · City code
Community benefit and tenant displacement amendments (public hearing)
Tabled · 7-0
Four speakers commented. One urged more action on displacement, rent control and ownership options; one supported the Thriving in Place goals but worried east side infrastructure could not support the proposal; one asked for housing replacement cost analysis, housing at 80% of area median income or less, and changes to historic structure protection language; one thanked the council and urged moving it forward. The council closed the hearing and deferred action.
Item B5 · Budget
Budget Amendment No. 4, fiscal 2023-24 (public hearing)
Approved · 7-0
One speaker supported the amendment, citing Liberty Park items, police overtime and short-term rental enforcement software. The council adopted Ordinance 7 of 2024 amending the fiscal 2024 budget and staffing document and released the condition on the air quality incentives funding. Items named in the motion: A-1, $230,000 from the nondepartmental holding account for the e-bike and indoor air purification incentives; A-7, $399,909 from General Fund balance for fleet maintenance capacity ($91,809 ongoing, $308,100 one-time); A-9, $194,540 from IMS fund balance for mobile phone data extraction software; and A-10, $203,148 from IMS fund balance for a Versaterm case service software upgrade.
- Budget$230,000
- Budget$399,909
- Purchase$194,540
- Contract$203,148 to Versaterm
Item E1 · Zoning
Extension of conditions for zoning at approximately 704 East 900 South
Approved · 7-0
The council adopted Resolution 4 of 2024 giving the property owner one more year to satisfy the conditions of Ordinance 6 of 2023, which rezoned the property from R-2 to SNB (Small Neighborhood Business).
- Current zone to proposed: R-2 to SNB (from Ordinance 6 of 2023)
Item G1-G14 · Other
Consent: set March 5 hearings and Racial Equity in Policing Commission appointments
Approved · 7-0
On consent, the council set March 5, 2024 hearings on the daycare zoning text amendment, the Woodland Commons rezone at 2445 South 500 East, the Yalecrest-Laird Heights historic district, the Simondi Avenue and 300 North rezone, the zoning terms and definitions amendment, the 44 North Apartments housing authority resolution and the FY2024-25 federal grant funding plan (CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA). It also appointed Alex Vandiver, Detria Taylor, Chloe Raymundo, Diya Oommen, Heather Stringfellow, Jason Hinojosa and Rodrigo Fernandez-Esquivias to the Racial Equity in Policing Commission for terms ending Dec. 28, 2026.
What residents said
Gaza cease-fire languageSunnyside Park fields and parkingTenant displacementSafety on Jordan River TrailGentrification
About 75 speakers addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many criticized the peace resolution for omitting a call for a cease-fire and urged one, along with ending US aid and protecting Palestinian residents; two rabbis and several other speakers thanked the council for the peace resolution and described concerns about threats to Jewish residents. Other speakers raised increased activity and crime at a business on 900 South, drug issues along the Jordan River Trail, gentrification, and said more policing would not solve homelessness.