Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Provided Information - 12/2/2025CITY 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:December 2, 2025 RE: Water Conservation and Land Use Element-General Plan Amendment to Plan Salt Lake PLNPCM2025-00481 BRIEFING UPDATE During the November 18, 2025 briefing Council Members discussed the use of smart controllers for City Departments as well as commercial and residential water users. They also asked about helping developers and residents of multi-family housing developments understand and utilize water conservation methods. Public Utilities representatives noted the availability of water smart controller rebates and efforts to broaden participation in the rebate programs. They also discussed opportunities to engage with the public about conservation tools and policies. When asked about an annual goal for how much water to send to the Great Salt Lake, Public Utilities staff noted the difficulty of setting a quantitative goal. Although State statutes do not require consideration of the lake for water suppliers within the Great Salt Lake Basin, Public Utilities is working with their partners in the basin to determine the best ways to get water to the lake and measure how much is sent. They also mentioned that much of Public Utilities’ water is diverted from within the basin, and conservation by users helps increase what flows to the lake. The following information was provided for the November 18, 2025 meeting. It is included again for background purposes. ISSUE AT A GLANCE The Council will be briefed about an amendment to Plan Salt Lake proposed by the Administration that would integrate the City’s land use plans and the 2022 Water Conservation and Land Use Planning Plan (found on pages 7-9 of the Administration’s transmittal). This would bring the City’s general plan, Plan Item Schedule: Page | 2 Salt Lake, into compliance with Utah State Code, which requires integrating a water element into the plan by December 31, 2025. The proposed amendment fulfills this requirement. 2025 meeting. The Commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation for approval to the City Council. Goal of the briefing: Review the proposed plan amendment and determine if the Council supports moving forward with the proposal. KEY CONSIDERATIONS Consideration 1 – The Effect of Current and Future Development on Water Demand and Supply Water Supply and Demand Plan (2022) is included in the proposal with projected populations and water use based on three scenarios with varying degrees of water demand and conservation. Impacts from drought, climate change, wildfire, and other water supply risks are considered in this plan. The proposal recommends that the Water Supply and Demand Plan be updated every five years. The Public Utilities Department manages this plan and the Water Conservation Plan, both of which are being updated and are anticipated to go through the City adoption process in the coming months. Consideration 2 – Methods to Reduce Water Consumption Per Capita Avenues Plan definition of low density residential as up to five dwellings per acre, while the adjacent Page | 3 Capitol Hill Plan defines low density residential as up to 15 dwellings per acre. Planning noted updating the community plans and reducing the number of land use designations will help with future water planning. Consideration 3 – Opportunities to Reduce Water Consumption in City Operations Consideration 4 – Consideration of the Regional Water Conservation Goals Scenario 1 – Water savings primarily by improved efficiency. Does not represent significant changes in lifestyle or development patterns. Scenario 2 – Additional water conservation efforts through partial conversion to higher-efficiency household fixtures and lower water use landscaping methods. Scenario 3 – Maximum likely conservation, including full conversion to both higher-efficiency household fixtures and low water use landscaping methods. Plan Salt Lake set a goal of achieving the goals in Scenario 2 of the Water Supply and Demand Management Plan because the 2065 water conservation goals have already been met. Consideration 5 – Consideration of the Regional Water Conservation Plans Page | 4 Consideration 6 – Consideration of Policies Related to the Principles of Sustainable Landscaping The City implemented most sustainable landscaping best practices into City code. Additionally, most recommendations in State code are also in City code, and those not yet adopted are in the proposed update to Plan Salt Lake, which may result in future zoning changes. It is worth noting that restrictions have not been placed on swimming pools, ponds, and other water bodies as there is not yet available research on these. During department and division review of the proposal the Engineering Division and Sustainability Department had comments. These can be found in Attachment E (page 15) of the Planning Commission staff report and summarized below. Engineering expressed concern with the suggestion that the City bring park strips up to current landscaping requirements as part of roadway projects. They pointed out the budget impact to the division, and risk to the City from reconfiguring private irrigation systems. In response, Planning staff noted the property owners’ responsibility for park strip landscaping, including installation, maintenance, repair or replacement is in the current ordinance. Sustainability recommended using low water consuming turf grass where it’s allowed and in high-use public spaces, citing the potential cooling effects turf grass can have. They also recommended prioritizing water for the tree canopy. ANALYSIS OF FACTORS Attachment C (pages 12-13) of the Planning Commission staff report outlines factors for general plan updates that should be considered as the Council reviews this proposal. The standards and findings are summarized below. Please see the Planning Commission staff report for additional information. Factor Finding Whether the proposal is consistent with citywide policies.Complies Whether the proposal is consistent with the goals, policies, or implementation actions of the general plan, including applicable element plans. Establishes a new chapter into Plan Salt Lake that addresses water conservation and land use planning. Whether significant change has occurred that warrants the creation of a new plan or an update to an adopted plan. Proposal is mandated by changes to Utah code requiring adoption of a water plan element. Whether the goals, policies, or implementation actions of the plan to be amended have been achieved, are no longer relevant to or capable of addressing the current issues or needs of the neighborhood or the city, or are no longer aligned with policies in citywide plans. Proposal is a new section to Plan Salt Lake and does not replace any outdated or irrelevant policies or goals. For petitions submitted by a property owner, the extent, effectiveness, and proportionality of the public benefit proposed by the petitioner to the increase in Not applicable. Page | 5 development potential if the proposal were to be adopted by the city council. The potential for displacement of people who reside in any housing that is within the boundary of the proposed amendment and the plan offered by the petitioner to mitigate displacement. Not applicable (proposal does not displace any people or housing). The potential for displacement of any business that is located within the boundary of the proposed amendment and the plan offered by the petitioner to mitigate displacement. Does not displace any business but may result in future regulations that limit businesses consuming large amounts of water. The potential impacts to properties in the immediate vicinity of the proposal. Proposal is likely to result in additional regulations that limit water use, and it may impact some properties as a result. The potential impacts on the city to provide safe drinking water, storm water, and sewer to the property based on the additional development potential of future development. Proposal is intended to ensure the City can provide adequate drinking water, address storm water impacts, and treat wastewater to benefit the Great Salt Lake. The potential impacts to public safety resources created by the increase in development potential that may result from the proposed amendment. Ensuring safe and adequate drinking water is a benefit to public safety. The potential impacts to any other city service, infrastructure, or resource that may be impacted by the increase in development potential that may result from the proposed amendment. Proposal does not increase development potential in the city. PROJECT CHRONOLOGY • April 21, 2025 – Petition initiated by Mayor Mendenhall. • April 23, 2025 – Planning Commission briefed on project and Growing Water Smart initiative. • May 19, 2025 – Proposal and background information posted on the Planning Division Open House website. 45-day public notice and Utah general plan notices sent. • July 9, 2025 – 45-day input period ended. No public comments received. • August 13, 2025 – Planning Commission public hearing notice mailed. • August 27, 2025 – Planning Commission briefing and public hearing. The Commission voted unanimously to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council. • October 22, 2025 – Transmittal received in City Council Office.