• SALT LAKE CITY EXPANDING HOUSING OPTIONS (EHO) Plan

Expanding Housing Options is a proposed change to zoning rules that would give property owners in lower-density neighborhoods more options for how they use their property. Your GACC Land Use Committee received a preliminary announcement about this proposal during the holidays, and will discuss at its next Land Use Committee meeting, 6:30 pm, Tuesday, January 13th at the Avenues Library. We will keep the Avenues Community informed at Avenues community meetings and on this web page.  

Read a Building Salt Lake article HERE            See the City’s EHO Handout Summary Sheet HERE

See the City’s EHO web page and public comment link HERE

• RMF-35 to 45 Ordinance Change 

The City Council has approved an extensive update to the city-wide RMF-35 and RMF-45 zoning districts to make it easier to build more types of housing while helping preserve existing housing.  The proposed updates are intended to:  Add new design standards for new developments, Allow smaller lot sizes, Remove lot width minimums, and Offer incentives to keep existing housing. 

The GACC Land Use Committee opposes the ordinance change due to provisions which in our opinion are destructive to Local Historic Districts and to established neighborhood character.   In the GACC Land Use Committee’s opinion, the problems are:

A. The setbacks of the RMF 35 zoning and SR-1A Zoning in the Avenues are essential to the development and protection of the existing character of the neighborhood.   They promote significant tree coverage on private property as well as in park strips.   This tree coverage creates natural cooling, superior walkability and the neighborliness that characterizes local historic districts.   The proposed setback reductions are therefore a direct threat to the character of the neighborhood.  Maintaining the existing neighborhood character is prioritized in multiple planning documents, including the preamble to the RMF-35 Ordinance.

We further note that, of the three example slides in the Planning presentation of existing single family residential adjacent to multifamily buildings, none seemed to include four-foot setbacks.   In fact, in one example a multi-unit apartment building had been constructed with its driveway directly adjacent to a zero lot line historic home.   This is exactly the kind of development that the existing Zoning was enacted to prevent.  

B. The current proposal limits mandatory setback and step-back protections to Historic Registry properties, which are a limited species typified by an owner discretionary application process.  Local historic districts are made up of significant and contributory properties defined and regulated by City Code, not just properties on the Historic Registry.   The protection of only “Registry” properties from height and proximity encroachment is antagonistic to Local Historic Districts and existing neighborhood character.

C. Planning staff contends that review by the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) of construction in Local Historic Districts is sufficient to protect contributory structures and the character of local historic districts.    However, multiple observers have concluded that, while the Historic Landmarks Commission is proficient in protecting the character of contributory structures where the permit involves the contributory structure itself, the Commission generally permits non-contributory structure construction at the limits of the existing Zone.   (We contacted a former member of the HLC to check the validity of this viewpoint, and they considered it accurate.)

In addition, many applications involving non-contributory structures are approved administratively at the staff level and never make it to the Historic Landmarks Commission for review. 

We conclude, therefore, that the Historic Landmarks Commission will likely not provide sufficient protection of the Local Historic District in the RMF 35 Zone without extending step back and setback mandatory protections to contributory local historic structures, not just “registry” structures.

We will inform the Avenues Community in the January 2026 newsletter and at the January 7th, 2026 Community Meeting of the concerns of this new ordinance with this article:

Attention: if you live in the RMF 35 Zone between South Temple and 3rd Avenue the City has recently changed your zoning by making significant changes to the ordinance which defines the RMF-35 zone. Chris Wharton was the only Councilperson to vote against this measure.  These changes have significant effects on the distance that buildings can be built from the property line (reducing it in all directions to as little as 4 feet), and reduced the amount of required parking. 

This will undoubtedly affect adjoining properties, many of which are historic.  In addition the City now defines only historic homes that are on the local Landmark registry as protected from encroachment by the height and distance from the property line of a neighboring structure. Landmark designation has never before carried these specific protections. Owners of historic homes may consider applying for Landmark registry, or contact historicpreservation@slc.gov or call 801.535.7700.  

Your community council would like you to know about these changes. The document transmitting these draft measures to the City Council for their approval has been posted on the Land Use page of the Greater Avenues Community Council at https://avenuescouncil.org/project/land-use/, along with other supporting documentation. 

The City’s published information is at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/8faf4a83ba444e94a1e0cfa427150498

If you have specific questions about how these changes affect your property, we suggest you contact the City Planners.  Aaron Barlow, 801-535-6182, aaron.barlow@slc.gov, Amy Thompson,  801-535-7281 or amy.thompson@slc.gov, Katilynn Warr, 801-535-6179,  katilynn.warr@slc.gov, or Alicia Seeley, 801-535-7922, alicia.seeley@slc.gov.

• An updated Avenues Master Plan (the Avenues Community Plan).  

Master Plans helps guide various City departments as they review applications for development and make decisions as to what is important to the Avenues area. This document outlines the character of the Avenues and development guidelines important to all Avenues residents. What do you think should be included in an updated Avenues plan? The existing 1987 Avenues Master Plan can be seen HERE

Avenues Community Plan (formerly Masterplan)-  In recent communication with the Avenues Community Plan team at the Salt Lake City Planning Department, we are advised that the Draft Community Plan will be ready soon to be released for public comment.  We will post the plan here as soon as it is released.

Also check the Shape SLC site at https://shape.slc.gov/en/projects/avenues-plan-update for the latest. 

Please send any comments to landusecom@slc-avenues.org , as well as directly to the Planning Department at avenuesplan@slc.gov.

As part of the update process the City prepared a preliminary report of the Existing Conditions of the Avenues that the new Avenues Neighborhood Plan will consider. More information about the City’s process, and the Existing Conditions Report can be seen HERE

All city Neighborhood Plans must conform to the City’s main guide for development, which is the PLAN SALT LAKE document that can be seen HERE

The updating of the Avenues Masterplan has occasioned a lot of discussion of the character of the Avenues. Major contributors to the character of The Avenues has been the Avenues Historic District and the SR-1A zoning (see map at: https://slcgov.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html). In our opinion, the Avenues would not be the same without the protection that the historic districts have provided, including the retaining of the open spaces and mature trees that typify the Avenues.

Email your thoughts and suggestions on this topic to landusecom@slc-avenues.org

Here are more resources on this topic:

Salt Lake Zoning map:  https://slcgov.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html

SLC Preservation page: https://www.slc.gov/historic-preservation/

Avenues Plan Update:  https://www.slc.gov/planning/2025/05/29/avenuesplan-update/

SR-1 Zoning (the actual Code): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/saltlakecityut/latest/saltlakecity_ut/0-0-0-64320

Preservation Utah: https://www.preservationutah.org/for-property-owners

• Keeping Avenues residents informed on the latest petitions for development in the Avenues area.

1. 128 North N Street – Zoning Map Amendment

The City has approved a petition to rezone the property located at 128 N N St from SR-1A to R-MU-35 to build an additional five units of housing on the site.  See the property diagram HERE.  See the rezone petition HERE.

City Planning, the Planning Commission and the City Council used an interpretation of City Code 19.06.070.C and 21A.50.050.C in defining this project’s increased number of two-bedroom units after approval as a “Community Benefit.”

An alternative interpretation is that the market has and will continue to produce that size unit at market rate, and that the City’s acceptance of these new units on N Street under a “community benefit” definition undermines the development of the types of housing the market will not inherently produce , such as affordable, accessible and family-oriented units.

2. Capitol Park Cottages – Planned Development

Ivory Homes Capitol Park Cottages at F Street and 14th Avenue. The project recently received Planning Commission approval of their Planned Development for the three acre site. More about this project can be seen at HERE and HERE.

• Bring Housing and Land Use News From the City to Avenues Residents

When the City Planning Department or City Council needs to hear resident opinions on legislation or projects that affect housing in the Avenues we will post these projects or surveys here.

1.  Federal Housing Grants – How should the City spend its federal grant dollars on improving access to housing? TAKE THE SURVEY

2.  Salt Lake City Park Strip, Landscape Policy Changes – Public comments are being taken by the Salt Lake City Planning Division and Planning Commission as they consider city-wide changes to the Landscaping Chapter of the Zoning Code. This includes proposed revision of the Park Strip ordinance under which many city residents have been penalized for their water conservation efforts. The proposed Park Strip policy revision would require one “street tree” every 30 feet and vegetation covering at least 30% of the area. See all proposed amendments HERE. Public comments can be submitted in-person or via email to Nan Larsen. Reference case number PLNPCM2023-00098 in the subject line.

3. See all Salt Lake City projects which are currently accepting public comment and feedback HERE.

 • Other Land Use Concerns

1. Utah Transit Authority – Five-Year Plan

UTA’s updated 2025-2029 Five-Year Service Plan is a vision for the future to guide potential service planning changes over the next few years and get people where they need to go. Why is this a Land Use concern? Because many residents have concerns over UTA’s choices of bus routes, the type of equipment used on our narrow and hilly Avenues streets, and the noise and vibration of the buses.   See the UTA Five Year Service Plan and take the SURVEY

2. Hotel Proposal Adjacent to Sugarhouse Park

The Salt Lake City Planning Commission has forwarded to the City Council a recommendation on a re-Zoning request from Magnus Hotel Management that would allow them to build a 95-foot hotel on property directly adjacent to Sugar House Park (the site of the former Sizzler Restaurant). 
The Avenues Land Use Committee voted Jan 13 to ask the GACC Board to endorse a letter that was sent to the City Council by a consortium of Community Council groups including the GACC Land Use Committee. The Committee feels the reasons to endorse this letter include the following:   

1.  Sugarhouse Park is a unique resource that is enjoyed by members of The Avenues and others across the City.   

2.  The proposed re-zone would set a precedent for high-rise buildings directly adjacent to other Park/Green Space properties, including such properties in the Avenues (Parks and the Cemetery).   

3.  When major development proposals come to the Avenues (think of the LDS Hospital property), we hope that other Community Councils will support us, as the Committee asks you to support them in this matter.   

4. Avenues residents have expressed concerns about this project.

The GACC Land Use Committee invites all residents to be part of these efforts. The Committee meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday at 6pm at the Sweet Branch Library. Email committee chair Jim Jenkin at landusecom@slc-avenues.org for details or we will see you at a meeting. Let us know what land use concerns you have.