Council holds hearings on Delta Center garage and West High rebuild, defers votes on both
September 2, 2025, 7:00 p.m. · Salt Lake City and County Building
At its Sept. 2 formal meeting the Council held public hearings on the Delta Center parking garage agreement, the West High School rebuild ordinances, a rezoning near 800 West and an alley vacation, and deferred action on each. It adopted parameters for up to $100 million in Public Utilities bonds and notes, building permit fee waivers for two affordable housing projects and a non-represented employee compensation plan. Council Member Lopez Chavez joined online partway through the hearings.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Six grant applications (public hearing) | Approved · 6-0 |
| Rezoning near 247 North 800 West (public hearing) | Continued · 7-0 |
| Alley vacation near 373 West American Avenue (public hearing) | Continued · 7-0 |
| West High School rebuild: Public Lands zoning text amendment and 200 North street vacation (public hearing) | Continued · 7-0 |
| Delta Center parking garage development agreement (public hearing) | Continued · 7-0 |
| Public Utilities bond anticipation notes and refunding bonds: parameters resolution | Approved · 7-0 |
| Building permit fee waivers for Alliance House and First Step House | Approved · 7-0 |
| Fiscal 2025-26 compensation plan for non-represented employees | Approved · 7-0 |
| Consent agenda | Approved · 7-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item B1-B6 · Other
Six grant applications (public hearing)
Approved · 6-0
The Council held one public hearing on six grant applications. They were: Public Lands' request to Salt Lake County for full build-out of the Regional Athletic Complex; Public Lands' request to the county for Civic Center District / Green Loop design; Public Lands' request to the county for Jordan River Trail consultant fees; a Police Department request to the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office for de-escalation and crisis response training, including a virtual reality simulator; a Mayor's Office request to 2892 Miles to Go for the River & Roots youth storytelling project on the Jordan River; and a Fire Department request to FEMA for a juvenile fire setter prevention task force. No one spoke. The Council closed the hearing and referred the items to a future consent agenda. A seventh application, from the Mayor's Office to the National League of Cities for a Community Engagement Academy, was pulled because it did not receive funding.
- GrantAmount not given to Salt Lake County (TRCC tax grant)
- GrantAmount not given to Salt Lake County (TRCC tax grant)
- GrantAmount not given to Salt Lake County (TRCC tax grant)
- GrantAmount not given to U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office
- GrantAmount not given to 2892 Miles to Go
- GrantAmount not given to FEMA
- Vote was 6-0 with Council Member Lopez Chavez not yet joined
Item B8 · Zoning
Rezoning near 247 North 800 West (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
The Council held a hearing on rezoning property from R-1/7,000 and SR-3 to R-1/5,000 and SR-3, which would allow development west of an existing single-family home, accessed from the private Hoyt Place. One resident said the change would add traffic and parking demand in an area near West High School that already has limited parking. The Council closed the hearing and referred action to a later meeting. Council Member Lopez Chavez joined online during this item.
- Current zone → proposed: R-1/7,000 and SR-3 → R-1/5,000 and SR-3
- Petition: PLNPCM2024-00629
- Council District 2
Item B9 · Other
Alley vacation near 373 West American Avenue (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
The Council held a hearing on closing a city-owned alley next to four properties, three of them owned by the petitioner (the applicant) and the fourth by an owner who also supports the vacation. Staff said the alley cannot serve as a mid-block connection because the 900 South viaduct lies directly south. There was no public comment, and the Council referred action to a future meeting.
- Petition: PLNPCM2023-00636
- Council District 5
Item B10 · Zoning
West High School rebuild: Public Lands zoning text amendment and 200 North street vacation (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
The hearing covered a text amendment that changes building height limits, buffering and allowed uses in all Public Lands zones and exempts new construction from Historic Preservation Overlay review, and the vacation of a 130-foot-wide, 530-foot-long piece of 200 North between 300 West and 200 West that is already part of the school campus. Of three speakers, one asked the Council to deny both ordinances, citing the Capitol Hill Master Plan's limits on institutional expansion into the neighborhood; one supported the rebuild and preserving the historic building but worried new parking entrances would add residential congestion; and one supported the rebuild but raised safety concerns about the planned entrance locations. Council Member Puy said the Council does not control the school district's building design and that more discussion was needed; Council Member Wharton encouraged residents to bring ideas to the school district and the Council. The Council closed the hearing and deferred action.
- Petitions: PLNPCM2025-00320 (text amendment), PLNPCM2025-00321 (street vacation)
Item B11 · Development
Delta Center parking garage development agreement (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
The hearing was on a master development agreement for a seven-story garage with about 452 stalls at the southwest corner of the arena site, applicant Jazz Arena Investors LLC. The agreement could supersede several city rules. Two speakers opposed it, saying it does too little to activate the surrounding blocks and should require more public benefit from the arena's owner, Smith Entertainment Group. The Council closed the hearing and deferred action.
- Petition: PLNPCM2025-00619
- Council District 4
Item E1 · Taxes and fees
Public Utilities bond anticipation notes and refunding bonds: parameters resolution
Approved · 7-0
The Council adopted Resolution 28 of 2025 setting parameters for up to $50 million in Public Utilities revenue bond anticipation notes, Series 2025B (to finance a Public Utilities campus), and up to $50 million in revenue refunding bonds, Series 2025C (to refund Series 2017 bonds early), and referred a public hearing on the issuance to Oct. 7.
- Bond$50.0 million
- Bond$50.0 million
Item F1 · Other
Building permit fee waivers for Alliance House and First Step House
Approved · 7-0
The Council adopted Resolution 29 of 2025 waiving building permit fees for two nonprofit developers' deeply affordable housing projects, as recommended by the Community and Neighborhoods Department: 16 one-bedroom units at 1805 South Main Street for households at or below 30% of area median income (Alliance House), and 67 one- and two-bedroom units at 44 North 1000 West for households at or below 40% (First Step House).
- FeeAmount not given to Alliance House, Inc. and First Step House
- Alliance House: 16 units, 1805 South Main Street, 30% AMI
- First Step House: 67 units, 44 North 1000 West, 40% AMI
Item F2 · Budget
Fiscal 2025-26 compensation plan for non-represented employees
Approved · 7-0
The Council adopted Ordinance 53 of 2025 amending the annual compensation plan for non-represented employees, with policy updates aimed at operations and retention and corrections to retirement contributions.
Item G · Other
Consent agenda
Approved · 7-0
The consent agenda passed 7-0. It set Oct. 7 hearings on building preservation and adaptive reuse zoning incentives (PLNPCM2025-00039) and on the Public Utilities bonds, set the budget amendment hearing, approved Grant Holding Account Items (Batch 1), appointed Sean McKelvie and Kamiron Anderson to the Public Utilities Advisory Committee (terms to Jan. 15, 2029), and reappointed Aimee Burrows (Planning Commission) and Carlton Getz and Michael Abrahamson (Historic Landmark Commission), all for terms ending Sept. 2, 2029.
What residents said
Parking and traffic near West High SchoolDelta Center activationSewer rate structureSports district taxes
Hearing speakers raised parking and traffic near West High School, the Capitol Hill Master Plan, entrance safety, and the lack of ground-level activation in the Delta Center plan. In general comment, one speaker raised the Downtown Sports District, tax increases and Council spending transparency; another said the new sewer rate structure does not reflect usage, citing a bill that rose 2,639%, and asked for a review.