Council briefed on Simondi Avenue rezone and Budget Amendment No. 4; straw polls back e-bike incentive for one year
February 13, 2024, 4:00 p.m.
The council heard a homelessness funding update, a briefing on a NeighborWorks rezone at Simondi Avenue and 300 North, a zoning definitions cleanup, a state legislative update, annual records law training and Budget Amendment No. 4. Straw polls backed items A-1, A-7, A-9 and A-10 of the budget amendment, with the air quality incentive funded for this fiscal year only.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Rezone and master plan amendment at 803-815 West Simondi Avenue and 802-814 West 300 North | Discussed |
| Zoning terms and definitions amendment | Discussed |
| Budget Amendment No. 4, fiscal 2023-24 | Discussed |
| Motion to enter closed session | Approved · 7-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Presentation
Administration updates: homelessness and state funding
Discussed
Staff said weather disrupted encampment mitigation work and that winter shelter beds (825 including Code Blue and medically vulnerable beds) were generally 99% full. Without additional state funding, at least 625 of those beds could be eliminated in the summer. Staff also said about 40,000 Utah renters are extremely low-income.
Item 2 · Zoning
Rezone and master plan amendment at 803-815 West Simondi Avenue and 802-814 West 300 North
Discussed
Planners described a request by NeighborWorks to rezone eight vacant parcels from R-1/7,000 to RMF-30 and change the Northwest Community master plan to medium-density residential. The Planning Commission forwarded a positive recommendation. The applicant is seeking a deal with the city's Redevelopment Agency for a community land trust to bring units in under $400,000, and plans front porches and to maintain the alley.
- Applicant: NeighborWorks
- Current zone to proposed: R-1/7,000 to RMF-30
- Council District 2
Item 3 · City code
Zoning terms and definitions amendment
Discussed
Planning staff proposed removing Chapter 21A.60 (list of terms) and amending Chapter 21A.62 definitions and related Title 21A sections for clarity, including where building heights are measured. No zoning standards or land use regulations change. The Planning Commission forwarded a positive recommendation.
Item 4 · Presentation
State legislative briefing
Discussed
Staff reported tracking 253 bills, the city's opposition to a bill that would end the ranked choice voting pilot, concerns about HB 42 on homelessness, and status of HB 298, HB 476 and HB 465 on land use and housing.
Item 5 · Presentation
GRAMA records law training
Discussed
The city recorder gave annual training to the council and the Redevelopment Agency board. In 2023 the city received 15,620 records requests, a 5% decrease, mostly for police records. There were 30 appeals and five went to the State Records Committee, which upheld the city in the two it heard.
Item 7 · Budget
Budget Amendment No. 4, fiscal 2023-24
Discussed
Council members discussed several items. For A-1, $230,000 to expand the air quality incentives program for e-bikes and indoor air purification, Council Member Alejandro Puy said he struggled with it as a budget amendment amid other crises and Council Member Victoria Petro wanted to discuss e-bike access with the administration. A straw poll supported funding it for this fiscal year only, with interest in changing the 50/50 income-qualified split, all members in favor. All members also supported A-9, $194,000 for mobile phone data extraction software; A-10, $203,148 for a Versaterm case service software upgrade used for public safety cases; and A-7, $400,000 to increase fleet maintenance capacity. Puy raised leasing versus buying retired vehicles for the future.
- Budget$230,000
- Purchase$194,000
- Contract$203,148 to Versaterm
- Budget$400,000
Item 8 · Presentation
Emergency management update
No action
The item was not held.
Other
Motion to enter closed session
Approved · 7-0
The council voted 7-0 to enter a closed session on deployment of security personnel, devices or systems and advice of counsel, and 7-0 to exit. The session ran 6:10 to 6:40 p.m.
What residents said
Winter shelter fundingE-bike incentive program