HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposed Ordinance - 4/10/2025 (3)SALT LAKE CITY ORDINANCE
No. ____ of 2025
(An Ordinance Enacting Temporary Zoning Regulations
Authorizing Temporary Increase in Overnight Capacity
at the Youth Homeless Resource Center at 888 S 400 W)
WHEREAS, Section 10-9a-504 of the Utah Code permits a municipality, without prior
consideration and recommendation from the municipality’s planning commission, to
enact a temporary land use regulation for any part or all of a municipality if the governing body
makes a finding of a compelling countervailing public interest; and
WHEREAS, on August 27, 2014, the Salt Lake City Planning Commission granted a
conditional use permit to Volunteers of America to operate a thirty-bed homeless youth shelter at
888 S 400 W (the “Shelter”); and
WHEREAS, from 2022 to 2023 there was a nearly 10% increase in students experiencing
homelessness with more than 13,000 Utah students classified as homeless in 2023; and
WHEREAS, each year in Utah 100 youth “age out” of foster care, with roughly 30% of
those becoming homeless in young adulthood; and
WHEREAS, as measured at the Point-in-Time Count, Utah saw a statewide increase in
unaccompanied homeless youth of 20.6% from 2023 to 2024; and
WHEREAS, with these increases in homelessness among youth there has not been a
commensurate increase in the shelter space available for homeless youth; and
WHEREAS, despite the efforts at various levels of government, the number of youth
experiencing homelessness and the efforts to address the needs of those youth experiencing
homelessness has been compounded by the economic, humanitarian, and other various rising
social crises; and
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WHEREAS, that until additional homeless youth resource centers are opened (or
permanent housing is made available) there should be flexibility in temporarily increasing the
overnight capacity at the Shelter; and
WHEREAS, the City is committed to ensuring that youth experiencing homelessness
have access to shelter; and
WHEREAS, increasing the overnight capacity at an existing shelter, as opposed to siting
an additional shelter, imposes a lesser impact on the community as a whole; and
WHEREAS, the Shelter has received a conditional use permit allowing an increased
number of beds conditioned on making certain building modifications necessary for this
increase, which modifications are currently being pursued; and
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City Council desires to allow for a period of 180 days, no
more than twenty additional overnight sleeping accommodations for youth less than twenty three
years old at the Shelter on an emergency basis to provide shelter to youth experiencing
homelessness (a “temporary overflow homeless shelter use”), subject to the provisions herein;
and
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City Council finds that providing housing for the City’s
unsheltered youth pending consideration of an amendment to the Shelter’s conditional use permit
constitutes a compelling, countervailing public interest which justifies a temporary land use
regulation; and
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City Council intends for this temporary ordinance to be
effective only until 180 days after the effective date of this ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City Council encourages the State, County, public interest
groups, other cities, and community organizations to continue to work together with the City
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to proactively address the causes and effects of the myriad of social, economic, humanitarian,
and public health crises that continue to increase the number of individuals experiencing
homelessness and compound the efforts to address the needs of those experiencing
homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City Council encourages other cities in Utah to permit youth
shelter locations in their communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah:
SECTION 1. Finding of Compelling Countervailing Public Interest. Pursuant to Section
10-9a-504 of the Utah Code, the Salt Lake City Council finds that providing safe housing for the
City’s unsheltered youth pending consideration of the conditional use permit amendment to
permit the increased number of beds constitutes a compelling, countervailing public interest
sufficient to justify this temporary land use regulation.
SECTION 2. Location. This temporary land use regulation shall apply to the
property located at 888 S 400 W, which is already operating as a youth homeless shelter.
SECTION 3. Uses Authorized. Increasing the overnight capacity from thirty beds to fifty
beds for homeless youth less than twenty three years old at the location identified in Section 2
above is hereby authorized subject to the conditions listed in Section 4.
SECTION 4. Conditions. The temporary increase in the number of beds at the Shelter is
authorized subject to the following:
a. The Shelter shall meet all building and fire code requirements for such use
unless other reasonable means or methods are approved, in writing, by the
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Fire Marshal and/or the Building Official. A decision on whether a plan for
alternative means and methods under this section provides sufficient
assurance for life safety protection shall be made in the sole discretion of the
Building Official and/or Fire Marshal and shall not be appealable.
b. Volunteers of America, as the operator, will maintain a staff to client ratio in
compliance with minimums set forth in state licensing code. Security guards
may not be counted as part of this staffing ratio.
c. The overnight occupancy, including supervisory staff, shall not exceed the
occupancy limits identified in a temporary certificate of occupancy issued by
the City, but in no case shall the number of overnight occupants exceed fifty
individuals, excluding staff. Such temporary certificate of occupancy must be
issued prior to any increase in overnight occupancy of the Shelter pursuant to
this Ordinance.
d. All other conditions not expressly superseded by this temporary land use
regulation set forth in the conditional use permit issued to the Shelter on
August 27, 2014 remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 5. Duration. This temporary zoning ordinance shall remain in effect until 180
days after its effective date unless earlier amended, modified, or repealed.
SECTION 6. Effective Date. After publication, this Ordinance shall take effect on June 4,
2025.
Passed by the City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah this _______ day of ______________, 2025.
______________________________
CHAIRPERSON
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ATTEST:
______________________________
CITY RECORDER
Transmitted to Mayor on _______________________.
Mayor’s Action: _______Approved. _______Vetoed.
______________________________
MAYOR
______________________________
CITY RECORDER
(SEAL)
Bill No. ________ of 2025.
Published: ______________.
VOA TLUR 4.9.2025
APPROVED AS TO FORM
Salt Lake City Attorney’s Office
Date: _________________________________
By: ___________________________________
Katherine Pasker, Senior City Attorney
April 9, 2025