Council approves police chief and public lands director; adopts Paxton Avenue alley vacation; hears HUD grant requests
March 4, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
The Council voted 7-0 to confirm Brian Redd as police chief and Kim Shelley as Director of Public Lands, vacate an L-shaped alley near 268 West Paxton Avenue, approve a $100,000 loan to Cold Plunge Coffee and start work on an R-1 zoning text amendment. It heard comment on the 2025-29 HUD Consolidated Plan and FY2025-26 federal grant allocations and referred both to a later date. Mayor Erin Mendenhall is not listed as present.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| 2025-29 HUD Consolidated Plan (public hearing) | Continued · 7-0 |
| FY2025-26 funding allocations for the One-year Action Plan for CDBG and other federal grants (public hearing) | Continued · 7-0 |
| Alley vacation near 268 West Paxton Avenue (Petition PLNPCM2022-01128) | Approved · 7-0 |
| Grant application: FY2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant | No action · 7-0 |
| Economic Development Loan Fund: Cold Plunge Coffee, LLC | Approved · 7-0 |
| Legislative action: R-1 single-family zoning text amendment | Approved · 7-0 |
| Advice and consent: Kim Shelley as Director of Public Lands | Approved · 7-0 |
| Advice and consent: Brian Redd as Chief of Police | Approved · 7-0 |
| Consent agenda | Approved · 7-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item B1 · Budget
2025-29 HUD Consolidated Plan (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
The Council held a hearing on the City's five-year Consolidated Plan for 2025-29, which guides spending of CDBG, ESG, HOME and HOPWA funds. One person was called to speak but had no comment on this item. The hearing was closed and action referred to a future date (tentatively April 15, 2025).
Item B2 · Budget
FY2025-26 funding allocations for the One-year Action Plan for CDBG and other federal grants (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
Representatives of about ten nonprofit organizations, including Wasatch Community Gardens, Shelter the Homeless, Habitat for Humanity Greater Salt Lake, Salt Lake Donated Dental Services, The Children's Center Utah, First Step House, Assist Community Design Center, the International Rescue Committee, Housing Connect and the Food Justice Coalition, thanked the Council or the City's advisory board for recommended funding or asked for funding. Council Member Alejandro Puy thanked speakers and noted the challenge of distributing funds across all needs. The hearing was closed and action referred to a future date.
Item B3 · Other
Alley vacation near 268 West Paxton Avenue (Petition PLNPCM2022-01128)
Approved · 7-0
With no public comment, the Council adopted Ordinance 13 of 2025 vacating an L-shaped City-owned alley that begins at about 268 West Paxton Avenue, with an easement from 300 West for abutting owners.
- Petitioner: RCB Rental Properties and Little Garage, Inc.
- Council District 5
Item B4 · Public safety
Grant application: FY2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant
No action · 7-0
The Police Department's application to the U.S. Department of Justice would fund travel, training, cameras, crime center equipment, community policing and targeted enforcement overtime. No one commented; the hearing was closed and the item referred to a future consent agenda.
Item E1 · Contract
Economic Development Loan Fund: Cold Plunge Coffee, LLC
Approved · 7-0
The Council adopted Ordinance 14 of 2025 approving a $100,000 loan to Cold Plunge Coffee, LLC at 475 East 300 South, to support nine new jobs and one retained.
- Payment$100,000 to Cold Plunge Coffee, LLC
Item E2 · City code
Legislative action: R-1 single-family zoning text amendment
Approved · 7-0
The Council adopted a legislative action directing the Planning Division to draft a text amendment consolidating and simplifying R-1 districts, updating flag lot standards, adding housing options and, to the extent possible, removing barriers to homeownership, and to consider similar changes to the R-2, SR-1 and SR-1A zones. The motion states the Council wants to study effects on affordable housing incentives, housing, walkability and water conservation, and names increasing homeownership and including affordable 'missing middle' and family-sized housing as guiding principles.
Item E3 · Appointment
Advice and consent: Kim Shelley as Director of Public Lands
Approved · 7-0
The Council approved the appointment of Kim Shelley as Director of Public Lands.
Item E4 · Appointment
Advice and consent: Brian Redd as Chief of Police
Approved · 7-0
The Council approved the appointment of Brian Redd as Salt Lake City Chief of Police.
Item G1-G4 · Other
Consent agenda
Approved · 7-0
The Council set a March 25, 2025 hearing on Budget Amendment No. 4 for FY2024-25 (including a lead paint hazard grant) and approved appointments of James Alfandre and Eric Mcgill to the Parks, Natural Lands, Urban Forestry, and Trails Advisory Board and Richard Leverett to the Planning Commission.
What residents said
Treatment of people experiencing homelessnessPolice practicesHistoric property protection
About ten speakers addressed the Council on homelessness, saying they had been homeless and describing treatment by police and the effects of camping citations. Others spoke about changes to RMF-35/45 zones, a person who collapsed on a TRAX train and police-transit coordination, less-lethal police options, loss of open space in the Yalecrest area, and protecting historic properties in the mixed-use zoning merge.