Council shows early support for Fleet Block site plan and reviews unfunded capital requests
July 18, 2023, 2:00 p.m. · City & County Building, Salt Lake City
In a work session chaired by Council Member Darin Mano, the council went through the unfunded items on the FY2024 Capital Improvement Program list, heard a revised Form-Based Urban Neighborhood 3 zoning proposal for the city-owned Fleet Block, and got briefings on a Sugar House rezone, a ban on new Sugar House drive-throughs and a sight-distance rule. All members present gave preliminary support to the Fleet Block site plan shown by the administration. Four board appointees were interviewed.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Presentation
Updates from the Administration
Discussed
Staff gave the regular update on community engagement events and projects, including Planning and Public Lands events, the Arts Council's West Side Art Project and mayor's office hours. The homelessness update covered Resource Center use, encampment mitigation locations, a July 14 resource fair at Pioneer Park, a July 21 Jordan River event and summer cooling stations.
Item 2 · Roads and utilities
Capital Improvement Program projects, follow-up briefing
Discussed
Policy analyst Ben Luedtke walked the council through items on the funding log that were not recommended for funding, including a $4 million request to add to 700 South (Phase 7, 4600 West to 5000 West), a $494,000 request for safety changes on the west side of Foothill Drive, and several park, pickleball, crosswalk and street requests. Council Member Alejandro Puy asked how far $200,000 in multimodal maintenance money would go and for a list of projects; Council Member Darin Mano asked for an assessment of deferred maintenance before funding it. Transportation Director Jon Larsen said the Foothill Drive project ranked 74th or 77th of 113 on the city's prioritized list. Council Members Victoria Petro, Ana Valdemoros, Puy, Mano, Daniel Dugan, Chris Wharton and Sarah Young each named an item they wanted considered for funding, such as Rose Park Lane driver-feedback signs, a Richmond Park playground, and Sugar House Safe Side Streets Part 2.
- Budget$4.00 million
Item 3 · Zoning
Form-Based Urban Neighborhood 3 zoning text and map amendment (Fleet Block)
Discussed
Planners said the ordinance had been split in two: a text amendment creating the FB-UN3 zone and a map amendment applying it to the Fleet Block, and that it was updated to reflect recently adopted downtown zoning and land-use changes. Changes discussed included active ground-floor uses for buildings over 100 feet long, a building-length limit, and the open-space definition. In a straw poll on requiring 10 percent open space on the ground level, Council Members Ana Valdemoros and Dan Dugan favored it and Council Members Sarah Young, Darin Mano, Alejandro Puy, Victoria Petro and Chris Wharton did not. Council Member Puy said he supported the proposed changes.
- Petition: PLNPCM2019-00277
Item 4 · Development
Fleet Block zoning and disposition strategy update
Discussed
Community & Neighborhoods Director Blake Thomas and Deputy Director Tammy Hunsaker updated the council on the 8.75-acre city-owned former fleet yard. The administration asked the council to approve the rezone, indicate support for the size and location of the public space, and give any further direction on the development plan. Members discussed keeping city ownership and leasing versus selling, private versus public roadways, and favoring a heavily vegetated plaza over a traditional park. In a straw poll, all members present supported the site plan shown.
- Acres: 8.75
Item 6 · Zoning
1782 South 1600 East zoning map and Sugar House master plan amendment
Discussed
Planner Kelsey Lindquist said the request would rezone the lot from R-1/7000 single-family to SR-3 and change the Sugar House future land use map from low to medium density, in order to legalize an unlawful subdivision and build a single-family house. Both the planning commission and planning staff recommended against it. Council Member Chris Wharton cautioned about process and precedent and gave reasons for denying it. The applicant's representative described the property's history and how the proposal fit city housing plans.
- Petitioner: Blaine Properties LLC
- Current zone to proposed: R-1/7000 to SR-3
- Petition: PLNPCM2022-01138 and PLNPCM2022-01139
- Planning commission and staff recommendation: negative
Item 7 · City code
Sugar House drive-through text amendment
Discussed
The proposal, initiated by the planning commission, would prohibit new drive-through facilities in the Sugar House Business District by removing them from the permitted-use tables for the CSHBD1 and CSHBD2 zones. Existing drive-throughs would become nonconforming uses. Planners cited public feedback, professional best practices on walkable districts and examples of businesses without drive-through service. The council set the public hearing for August 8.
Item 8 · City code
Sight distance triangle text amendment
Discussed
The mayor's proposal would add alley-street and alley-sidewalk intersections to the sight distance triangle rules and apply the standards to buildings and other structures not covered by fence rules. Planners said legally existing fences, walls, hedges, buildings and other structures could continue.
- Petitioner: Mayor Erin Mendenhall
Item 9 · Appointment
Board appointment: Cultural Core Finance Committee (Spencer Lawson)
Discussed
The council interviewed Spencer Lawson for a term ending July 18, 2025. Council Member Mano said the name was on the consent agenda for formal action.
Item 10 · Appointment
Board appointment: Business Advisory Board (Anne Olsen)
Discussed
The council interviewed Anne Olsen for a term ending December 27, 2027. Her name was placed on the consent agenda.
Item 11 · Appointment
Board appointment: Police Civilian Review Board (Emina Alibegovic)
Discussed
The council interviewed Emina Alibegovic for a term ending September 7, 2026; her name was placed on the consent agenda.
Item 12 · Appointment
Board appointment: Police Civilian Review Board (Justin Neville)
Discussed
The council interviewed Justin Neville for a term ending September 7, 2026; his name was placed on the consent agenda.
Item 14 · Other
Executive director report
No action
Executive Director Cindy Gust-Jenson sought support, without objection, for funding lighting for a baseball field at Riverside Park, where one field would be supported by a contribution from the Larry H. Miller Family Foundation. Members also did not object to hosting a breakfast for visiting EPA representatives, picked September 5 for a council group photo and listed Sister City events they would attend.