Downtown building height and street activation amendment
Text amendment to building heights and street activation standards in the D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, G-MU, CG and FB-UN districts. Adopted June 6, 2023 as Ordinance 24 with a bird-friendly glass study; a clarification restoring street activation language was adopted July 11, 2023.
- Where it stands
- Approved
- Type
- Code change
- Location
- Downtown Plan area
- Applicant
- Mayor Erin Mendenhall
Every hearing and vote
April 4, 2023 · City Council
Consent: set April 18 public hearings on Downtown Building Height text amendment, 792 West 900 South rezone and Airport Title 16
Approved · 6-0-1
On consent, the Council set April 18, 2023 at 7 p.m. for public hearings on the downtown building height and street activation amendment, the rezone at 792 West 900 South and 875 South 800 West, and the Airport Title 16 rewrite.
April 4, 2023 · City Council work session
Downtown Building Height and Street Activation text amendment (briefing)
Discussed
Planning staff and consultant Design Workshop briefed the Council on a mayor-initiated text amendment to the downtown zoning districts D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, G-MU, CG, FB-UN1 and FB-UN2. It covers pedestrian-oriented standards such as front setbacks, surface parking, mid-block walkways and streetscape standards, building height changes including a new height transition standard, and design review updates. Proposed sidewalk widths and height changes for the Granary and Depot districts were also discussed.
- Petitioner: Mayor Erin Mendenhall
- Public hearing set for April 18, 2023; tentative action May 2, 2023
April 18, 2023 · City Council
Downtown Building Height and Street Activation text amendment (public hearing)
Continued · 7-0
Four speakers addressed the amendment. Themes included environmental effects, water issues, additional criteria for planning commission review of height corridors, and congestion and oversight of new development. The Council voted to continue the hearing to a future meeting.
- Petition PLNPCM2022-00529
- Petitioner: Mayor Erin Mendenhall
May 2, 2023 · City Council
Downtown Building Height and Street Activation text amendment (public hearing)
Continued · 6-0
Two speakers addressed the amendment. One asked the Council to account for historic districts, remove the FB-UN1 district, limit FB-UN2 to the map in the meeting materials, and consider less expensive housing. The other, speaking for a property along 500 West, said a required mid-block walkway through the middle of a large store was not feasible and would keep stores such as Home Depot from building downtown. The Council closed the hearing and deferred action. Council Member Petro was recorded absent for this vote.
- Petition PLNPCM2022-00529
May 16, 2023 · City Council work session
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
June 6, 2023 · City Council
Downtown building height and street activation text amendment
Approved · 5-0
The Council adopted Ordinance 24 of 2023, amending Title 21A building height standards in the Downtown Plan area, covering the D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, G-MU, CG, FB-UN1 and FB-UN2 districts. It also adopted a legislative action initiating a petition to study bird-friendly glass and recommend best practices.
- Petitioner: Mayor Erin Mendenhall
- Petition: PLNPCM2022-00529
July 11, 2023 · City Council
Downtown building height and street activation ordinance clarification
Approved · 6-0
The Council accepted a clarification and adopted the ordinance as prepared, restoring street activation language that was left out of the version adopted June 6, 2023.
- Petition: PLNPCM2022-00529