Council hears Little Cottonwood gondola plan, Main Street rezone and budget amendment briefings
November 10, 2022, 3:05 p.m. · Salt Lake City and County Building, 451 South State Street, Room 326
The Council's work session covered UDOT's preferred Gondola B for Little Cottonwood Canyon, the draft Connect SLC transportation plan, a Main Street rezone and alley vacation, and Budget Amendment No. 4. No formal votes were taken except a closed session motion.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Presentation
Updates from the Administration
Discussed
Administration staff briefed the Council on COVID-19, flu and RSV trends (Utah cases up 61 percent), public engagement projects, shelter capacity and winter overflow plans, and said key City-owned Westside properties would go out for requests for information to promote economic opportunity. Engagement items included Planning Commission dates for shelter zoning (Dec. 14) and Thriving in Place (Nov. 16), the I-15 environmental impact statement comment period through Dec. 16 and 2100 South reconstruction outreach.
Item 2 · Presentation
Equity update
Discussed
Staff reported on the Office of Equity and Inclusion: a search for a new Chief Equity Officer, new staff in refugee and volunteer roles, a draft citywide equity plan from the Keen Independent research team, Racial Equity in Policing Commission follow-up on Phase I recommendations, Human Rights Commission plans, language access and ADA updates. Council Members thanked departing community liaison Moana Uluave-Hafoka and Kaletta Lynch.
Item 3 · Roads and utilities
Little Cottonwood Canyon Environmental Impact Statement
Discussed
A UDOT project manager briefed the Council on the S.R. 210 study from Fort Union Boulevard through Alta. UDOT's preferred alternative is Gondola B, with sub-alternatives including tolling or occupancy limits, a base station parking structure, avalanche mitigation and trailhead parking; the 45-day comment period ended Oct. 17, 2022. Council Members asked about cog rail design, gondola capacity and operating cost versus buses, why Little Cottonwood was chosen, toll waivers for workers and residents, watershed protection, tower impacts, evacuation and City-owned canyon property.
Item 4 · Roads and utilities
Draft Transportation Master Plan (Connect SLC) midpoint check-in
Discussed
Transportation staff presented the draft Connect SLC plan, which will replace the 1996 transportation plan, covering mission, advisory committee, timeline, public engagement and policy topics such as equity, safety, curb and parking management, emerging mobility, sustainability, east-west connections and land use. Final plan is expected next year. Council Members discussed rail crossings on the Westside, northwest quadrant roads, traffic calming and showing where funding goes.
Item 5 · Zoning
Rezone, master plan amendment and alley vacation, 1550 South Main Street assemblage
Discussed
Planning staff briefed the Council on a petition to rezone 1518, 1530, 1540 and 1546 South Main Street and 1515 South Richards Street from Corridor Commercial and R-1/5,000 to FB-UN2 and vacate an adjacent City alley to enable a mixed-use, multi-family project. Staff said the Central Community Plan amendment was no longer needed because the Ballpark Station Area Plan governs. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended the rezone with three conditions: replace housing removed from the site, integrate the vacated alley into the development, and consolidate the parcels. The developer presented the project; Council Members asked about setbacks, parking, retail, unit cost and size, affordable family units, bike storage, ADA access during construction and water conservation.
- Current zone → proposed: CC and R-1/5,000 → FB-UN2
- Planning Commission: unanimous recommendation with 3 conditions
Item 6 · Presentation
Airport Master Plan follow-up
Discussed
Staff said Council requests on carbon reduction and internal accessibility at the airport were added to the plan as appendices, to be folded into the main body at the next formal update.
Item 7 · Budget
Budget Amendment No. 4, fiscal year 2022-23
Discussed
Staff outlined the proposed amendment, including sales tax revenue bond funds for infrastructure and historic City properties, funding for phase one of Glendale Regional Park, police overtime, fire station renovations and emergency rental assistance. A straw poll showed unanimous support for item A-13, $155,028.26 for new Airport Police computers, which the Airport will reimburse. Council Members asked for more information on a $38,000 Rocky Mountain Power grant for EV charging on 200 South, metrics for a $274,000 outreach team contract with Volunteers of America within $490,847 of re-scoped Operation Rio Grande homelessness funds, and the use of $30,000 for resource center security. Discussion was to resume at a future work session.
- Purchase$155,028
- Grant$38,000 to Rocky Mountain Power
- Contract$274,000 to Volunteers of America
Item 8 · Other
Utah Community Renewable Energy Program application update
Discussed
Staff and agency representatives updated the Council on the Community Renewable Energy Agency (Utah 100) application to the Public Service Commission, a draft model ordinance for participating cities and a low-income energy affordability plan with an agency board vote set for Dec. 5. The program targets net 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030. Council Members asked how the plan would affect renters who do not pay utilities and solar customers.
Item 9 · Appointment
Business Advisory Board appointment interview
Discussed
The Council interviewed Siliveinusi Niu for a term ending Dec. 28, 2026; the name was on the formal meeting consent agenda.
Other
Closed session
Approved · 6-0
The Council voted 6-0 to enter closed session to discuss the purchase, exchange or lease of real property and attorney-client matters, starting at 6:42 p.m. It ended at 10:00 p.m. with a vote to exit that passed 4-0 (Valdemoros, Mano and Petro absent for that vote).
What residents said
Little Cottonwood Canyon transitHomelessness funding metricsMain Street development parking