Council straw-polls downtown height changes and reviews police and employee pay budgets
May 16, 2023, 3:00 p.m.
In straw polls on the downtown building height text amendment, Council Members present supported most staff recommendations, with Council Member Ana Valdemoros abstaining on keeping the FB-UN2 proposal as presented. The Council also reviewed the Police Department budget, a proposed 5% pay increase for city employees, and a proposal to allow school pole signs. Council Member Amy Fowler was absent. The posted minutes are marked pending and not approved.
From the draft minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Other
Administration updates
Discussed
Staff covered the Thriving in Place comment period (open until June 26, 2023), the 1700 South resurfacing between 300 West and 900 South, a City Creek closure, and May events. The homelessness director said the first meeting of the winter flow shelter task force was May 18, with a decision due by August 2023.
Item 2 · Budget
FY2023-24 budget: Police Department
Discussed
Staff described a Police Department budget increase of about 7% and 11 requested new full-time positions at roughly $1.4 million. Requests included a license plate reader alternative response program at $150,000, an Internal Affairs sergeant at $164,266, a Community Response Team at $283,455, airport operations with $917,361 in revenue budgeted, an inflationary increase of $302,991 and personnel base changes of $6,429,307. Members discussed public concerns about license plate readers, metrics for the Community Response Team, substations, recruiting and the department audit, and asked for a deeper audit discussion later.
- Budget$150,000
- Budget$164,266
- Budget$283,455
- Budget$6.43 million
Item 3 · Budget
FY2023-24 budget: proposed compensation for city employees
Discussed
Staff proposed a 5% general merit increase at $8.9 million, costing the General Fund $6.1 million, $1.06 million in step increases for employees in three bargaining units, $1.05 million for market-based adjustments and a new lifestyle spending account benefit. Members asked about General Fund-funded positions, adjustments for lower-paid staff, the minimum starting wage and whether a higher lifestyle account amount would help.
- Budget$8.90 million
- Budget$1.06 million
- Budget$1.05 million
Item 5 · Zoning
Salt Lake City School District pole signs text amendment
Discussed
Planning staff described a proposal letting each school property have one freestanding pole sign, up to 15 feet on local streets and 25 feet on collector or arterial streets, with no off-premises advertising and no animation. The Planning Commission recommended approval. Council Members discussed limiting brightness, whether schools may advertise community events or events at other schools, and notifying nearby neighbors. A school district representative said advertising could help school fundraising and that schools would not want two pole signs.
- Petitioner: Paul Schulte for the Salt Lake City School District
- Petition PLNPCM2021-00190
- Hearing June 6, 2023; tentative action June 13, 2023
Item 6 · Zoning
Downtown Building Height and Street Activation text amendment (follow-up)
Discussed
Council Members and planners discussed height in the FB-UN2 form-based districts, setbacks and stepbacks, areas where a building could reach 375 feet, a list of public benefits, and bird-friendly glass. The Council took eight straw polls: it did not support a six-month overlap before the new rules take effect (all present); it supported requiring stepbacks for multifamily buildings next to zones with a 30-foot maximum height (all present); it supported keeping the FB-UN2 proposal as presented (Mano, Puy, Petro, Wharton and Dugan in favor, Valdemoros abstaining); it supported removing stepback requirements in the D-1 zone (all present); it supported researching bird-friendly glass (all present); it supported keeping current stepbacks in the Sugar House Business District (all present); it supported keeping the current D-4 height limit (all present); and it supported removing the maximum height in the G-MU zone at the Utah Transit Authority's request (all present).
- Straw poll on FB-UN2: 5 in favor, Valdemoros abstained
Item 7 · Budget
FY2023-24 budget: Justice Court (written briefing)
Discussed
Written briefing only on the Justice Court budget.
Item 8 · Appointment
Sister Cities Board appointment interviews
Discussed
The Council interviewed Ricardo Becerra, Ronald Joe Zeidner and Ahimara Suarez; Council Member Mano said their names would be on the consent agenda.
Item 10 · Other
Executive Director report: budget meeting schedule
Discussed
Council Members said they preferred starting work sessions at 1:00 p.m. each Tuesday through budget season and holding an additional work session on Thursday, May 25, 2023.
What residents said
License plate readersSchool sign brightnessDowntown building heights