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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Provided Information - 10/21/2025CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY 451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 304 P.O. BOX 145476, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5476 SLCCOUNCIL.COM TEL 801-535-7600 FAX 801-535-7651 COUNCIL STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY TO:City Council Members FROM:Brian Fullmer Policy Analyst DATE:October 21, 2025 RE: Text Amendment to Modify Residential Buffer Prohibitions PLNPCM2024-01357 BRIEFING UPDATE During the September 2, 2025 briefing Council Members clarified what zoning districts would be impacted by the proposed changes, and that the intent is not to prevent residential development. A question was raised about the impact of including mixed use districts in the proposal. Planning staff sent a follow-up memo (attached at the end of this report) noting that indoor live performance theaters are allowed in the MU-5, 6, 8, and 11 districts as well as the Downtown, and G-MU districts. Including these districts in the proposed changes would prohibit indoor live theater in areas where it is allowed and desired. A map indicating where indoor live theater would be prohibited is included in the attached memo. Planning also included a map showing the impact of adding mixed-use districts to the 1,000-foot buffer for the M-1, M-2, and/or DI district uses which are more intense and have a greater impact on residents. It is worth noting that existing legally established uses would be allowed to continue as nonconforming uses. Areas that would be impacted include: EI, M-1, and M-2 properties near the 900 North and 400 West intersection M-1 properties along the I-80 corridor M-1 properties along the I-215 corridor These areas are shown on the second map in the attached memo. The following information was provided for previous meetings. It is included again for background purposes. Item Schedule: Page | 2 The Council will be briefed about a Planning Commission initiated text amendment to review land uses that are or should be prohibited within 1,000 feet from residential zoning districts. It expands the prohibitions from single- and two-family residential districts to multi-family residential zones. It also clarifies how the distance is measured by applying the buffer to the entire lot rather than just the use boundaries within a lot. The Commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation for approval to the City Council. Goal of the briefing: Review the proposed text amendment and determine if the Council supports moving forward with the proposal. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RMF-30 RMF-35 RMF-45 RMF-75 FB-UN1 explosive manufacturing and storage, flammable liquids or gases, heating fuel distribution and storage, medical and hazardous waste incinerator, and petroleum products refinery. KEY CONSIDERATIONS Consideration 1 – Expanding the Residential Buffer Page | 3 As discussed above, the proposed text amendment changes the buffer area from specifically where the activity occurs to the entire lot. This will simplify determining where buffer applies and streamlines the review process. Consideration 2 – Reclassifying Highly Impactful and Detrimental Uses animal stockyard outdoor automobile salvage and recycling concrete and/or asphalt manufacturing heavy manufacturing poultry farm or processing plant outdoor recycling processing center rock, sand, and gravel storage and distribution, and slaughterhouse ANALYSIS OF STANDARDS Factor Finding Whether a proposed text amendment is consistent with the purposes, goals, objectives, and policies of the city as stated through its various adopted planning documents. Complies Whether a proposed text amendment furthers the specific purpose statements of the zoning ordinance. Complies Whether a proposed text amendment is consistent with the purposes and provisions of any applicable overlay zoning districts which may impose additional standards. Not applicable The extent to which a proposed text amendment implements best current, professional practices of urban planning and design. Complies The impact that the proposed text amendment may have on city resources necessary to carry out the provisions and processes required by this title. The proposal is intended to reduce polluting or contaminating uses which will lessen the burden on City resources. Page | 4 The impact that the proposed text amendment may have on other properties that would be subject to the proposal and properties adjacent to subject properties. Residential properties will have fewer impacts from intense uses. The community benefits that would result from the proposed text amendment, as identified in 21A.50.050.C. Not applicable. PROJECT CHRONOLOGY • November 13, 2024 – Planning Commission initiated petition. • November 19, 2024 – Petition deemed complete. • November 21, 2024 – Petition assigned to Noah Elmore, Associate Planner. • November 2024-March 2025 – Planning staff drafted language to support goals of the petition. • January 23, 2025 – Notice of petition sent to all City recognized community organizations. • January 28, 2025 – Petition posted to the Planning Division’s online open house webpage. • February 10, 2025 – Planning staff presented the proposal at the Sugar House Community Council. • February 20, 2025 – Planning staff presented the proposal at the Liberty Wells Community Council. • March 6, 2025 – Planning Commission agenda posted to the website and emailed to the listserv. • March 12, 2025 – Planning Commission briefing and public hearing. The Commission voted unanimously to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council. • April 28, 2025 – Ordinance requested from the Attorney’s Office. • July 30, 2025 – Ordinance received from the Attorney’s Office. • August 14, 2025 – Transmittal received in City Council Office. SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION 451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 406 WWW.SLC.GOV PO BOX 145480 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84114-5480 TEL 801-535-7757 FAX 801-535-6174 PLANNING DIVISION DEPARTMENT of COMMUNITY and NEIGHBORHOODS MEMORANDUM To: City Council From: Noah Elmore, Principal Planner Date: September 18, 2025 Re: PLNPCM2024-01357, Text Amendment to Modify Residential Buffer Prohibitions At the September 2 City Council Work Session, Council requested a map illustrating how the proposed buffer may be different with the addition of the Mixed Use Districts (Chapter 21A.25) to the proposed 1,000-foot buffer. Of note in this case is the “live performance theater (indoor)” use. Indoor live performance theaters are permitted in MU-5, MU-6, MU-8, and MU-11 districts, so including MU districts in the prohibition buffer would effectively prohibit those uses in the same districts they are technically permitted. Additionally, indoor live performance theaters are permitted in the Downtown and G-MU districts, which are bordered by MU districts. Including the MU zones in the buffer would effectively prohibit indoor live performance theaters in outer downtown areas (such as the Gateway and the Granary District) where these types of activities are anticipated and desired in the City’s Downtown Plan. As the proposal would limit indoor live performance theaters to only areas within the downtown core, Staff does not recommend including MU zones in the 1,000-foot buffer for indoor live performance theater uses. See Figure 1 for reference. Subsequently, the Council may want to consider only adding MU districts to the 1,000-foot buffer for the uses in the M-1, M-2, and/or EI districts. These uses include: • Animal Pound • Animal stockyard • Automobile salvage and recycling (outdoor) • Bus line yard and repair facility • Concrete and/or asphalt manufacturing • Electric generation facility • Grain elevator • Heavy manufacturing • Impound lot • Poultry farm or processing plant • Recycling processing center (outdoor) • Rock, sand, and gravel storage and distribution • Slaughterhouse • Solid waste transfer station • Truck freight terminal SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION 451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 406 WWW.SLC.GOV PO BOX 145480 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84114-5480 TEL 801-535-7757 FAX 801-535-6174 The addition of the MU districts would affect three areas in particular: • EI, M-1, and M-2 properties centered around the intersection of 900 North and 400 West • M-1 properties along the I-80 corridor • M-1 properties along the I-215 corridor See Figure 2 for reference. SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION 451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 406 WWW.SLC.GOV PO BOX 145480 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84114-5480 TEL 801-535-7757 FAX 801-535-6174 Figure 1. Map illustrating the area which would permit indoor live performance theaters if they were prohibited within 1,000’ of all MU districts SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION 451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 406 WWW.SLC.GOV PO BOX 145480 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84114-5480 TEL 801-535-7757 FAX 801-535-6174 Figure 2. Map illustrating the expanded buffer if MU districts were included and how the buffer would affect EI, M-1, and M-2 districts.