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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Provided Information - 4/21/2026CITY 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: Austin Kimmel DATE:April 21, 2026 RE: ORDINANCE: ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AT 1073 SOUTH NAVAJO STREET (PLNPCM2025-01015) NEW INFORMATION ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE Planning staff recommended approval, and the Commission voted 6-1 to forward a positive recommendation for the proposed zoning map amendment to the City Council. Details from the Planning Commission’s January 14, 2026 meeting are provided below. Goal of the briefing: Review the proposed zoning map amendment and determine if the Council supports moving forward. The Council will then hold a public hearing and consider adopting the zoning map amendment at future meetings. POLICY QUESTIONS Item Schedule: Page | 2 1. The Council may wish to ask the applicant if they anticipate providing off-street parking for the planned new units they intend to construct. 2. The applicant states the additional units will be for-sale, family-sized homes. If the Council is interested in ensuring those units are owner-occupied, they may wish to ask the administration how the city can ensure they will not become rentals. 3. The Council may wish to ask if the administration has discussed with the applicant using the Affordable Housing Incentives ordinance to provide some affordable housing at this location. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The current R-1/5,000 zone allows one single-family dwelling per 5,000 square feet of lot area and 50 feet of lot width, so the 21,000-square-foot property could accommodate up to four single-family homes. However, site constraints and zoning standards make infill development difficult. The RMF-30 district allows greater flexibility in development style and housing types, including row homes, multiple single- family dwellings, small-scale multi-family housing, and lots without direct public street frontage. As shown in the image on the right, the subject property is adjacent to R-1/5,000 zoning to the north, east, and south, with R- 1/7,000 across the street to the west. Salt Lake City Code Chapter 21A.50.050 states that a proposed zoning amendment must satisfy the consideration factors, including compliance with citywide policies, goals, and adopted plans, as well as demonstrating a community benefit that would not be achievable without the amendment.Area zoning map with subject parcel outlined in blue. Image courtesy of Salt Lake City Planning Division In this case, an identified option for community benefit includes providing housing that meets current or future community needs as identified by the general plan. The applicant proposes to maintain the existing single- family home and build additional family-sized units that are smaller in size and scale, and compatible with the existing neighborhood, in line with the Westside Master Plan. Each new unit would be on its own lot intended for ownership. If the Council adopts the zoning map amendment, there is no guarantee the proposed development will be constructed. The property could be redeveloped with any use allowed within the zone or sold to another party. The Council is only being asked to consider rezoning the property. Because zoning can outlast the life of a building, any rezoning application should be considered on the merits of changing the zoning of that property, not simply based on a potential project. Page | 3 SUMMARY OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal at its January 14, 2026, meeting and held a public hearing, during which three people spoke. Two commenters expressed a desire that the neighborhood’s existing character and scale be retained. Concerns were raised about the potential increased density and its impact on traffic, especially given the property’s proximity to a school and children walking nearby. A third commenter questioned the type of housing proposed and whether the units would be owner-occupied or could be sold and rented out. The applicant husband and wife spoke in support of the project, emphasizing their intention to build attainable, for-sale housing. They noted that home ownership is increasingly difficult because of rising prices and believe this street is well-suited for additional density and is near a bus line. The applicants stated the city needs higher- density, for-sale housing and that this project helps provide it. The Commissioner who voted against the proposal questioned the appropriateness of rezoning a single parcel in an otherwise fairly uniform neighborhood, especially given the property’s location near the middle of the block, and expressed a preference for neighborhood densification when it transitions from the edges of a block. The commissioner also expressed difficulty in evaluating the zoning map amendment without a detailed development proposal. Some Commissioners agreed with these points but ultimately voted to forward a positive recommendation. The proposed ordinance included in the administrative transmittal requires the petitioner to enter into a development agreement with Salt Lake City that includes the following conditions: a. The existing primary home on the site be retained. b. Any additional dwelling units over four units must be for-sale. In its staff report to the Planning Commission, Planning staff identified four key considerations, summarized below. The complete analysis is on pages 3-7 of the report, linked in the ATTACHMENTS section below. Planning staff found the proposed amendment generally aligns with the goals identified in adopted plans listed below. Page | 4 Plan Salt Lake (2015): The proposal aligns with the citywide plan, which encourages infill development in areas with existing infrastructure and services. The Plan also supports increased moderate density within existing neighborhoods where appropriate. Planning staff finds the 20,000 sq. ft. lot underutilized because it currently has only one single-family home. The proposed RMF-30 district would allow the petitioner to increase medium-density housing. Housing SLC (2013): The proposed rezone aligns with Housing SLC’s objectives to increase homeownership opportunities, family-sized units, and missing middle housing to address housing needs citywide. Westside Plan (2014): The proposal aligns with the Westside Plan, which supports compatible infill density and encourages incremental density, including “allowing two- or multi-family development on lots that are zoned for only single-family where appropriate. Appropriate cases include lots that have unique shapes or where the impact on adjacent properties would be negligible due to the unique properties of the parcels.” Neighborhood Nodes identified by the Westside Plan – Image courtesy of Salt Lake City Planning Division The property is within one-third of a mile of a Neighborhood Node along Indiana Avenue and one-quarter mile of a Neighborhood Node on Glendale Drive. Increased housing at the property would be serviced by these nodes. Consideration 2 – Neighborhood Context Single-family homes make up a significant portion of the Glendale neighborhood, where the subject property is located. The neighborhood also contains several duplexes, triplexes, and small multi-family buildings, many built before current zoning standards, reflecting a historic pattern of incremental density. Planning staff finds the subject property's large lot size and proximity to bus routes, schools, neighborhood commercial corridors, and Jordan Park make it well-suited for residential infill. The flexibility of RMF-30 zoning would allow additional homes to be built in a manner consistent with the neighborhood's existing scale and character, without requiring an additional Planned Development review. Consideration 3 – Development Potential Comparison R-1-,5000 vs RMF-30 Under the existing R-1/5,000 zoning, the site could realistically accommodate two single-family lots with a flag lot configuration. The Affordable Housing Incentives option could allow up to four units with affordability restrictions. Under the proposed RMF-30 zoning, the site could accommodate up to 14 units, depending on the housing type. The proposed zone would permit single-family homes, two-family dwellings, multifamily buildings, row houses, cottages, and tiny houses. Given the lot’s shape and the applicant’s intention to retain the existing home, the site is likely to accommodate five to eight additional housing units. Any development would be subject to all applicable setback, height, design, and parking requirements. Consideration 4 – Proposed Community Benefit The applicant's identified community benefit is “Providing housing that aligns with the current or future needs of the community as determined by the general plan. Needs could include the level of affordability in excess of the number of dwellings that exist on the site, size in terms of number of bedrooms, or availability of housing for purchase,” per Salt Lake City Code 21A.50.50.C. Page | 5 About 70 percent of housing in Glendale is renter-occupied, compared to about 52 percent citywide. Homeownership rates in Glendale are lower than in nearby neighborhoods such as Poplar Grove and Rose Park. The neighborhood also has a higher proportion of mid- to high-rise apartment buildings than other missing middle housing types. The proposed rezone would allow housing types that are underrepresented in Glendale and expand homeownership opportunities. CURRENT AND PROPOSED ZONING DISTRICT COMPARISON The purpose of the existing R-1/5,000 zoning district is to accommodate single-family residential development on lots of at least 5,000 square feet, with limited allowance for up to four units under affordable housing incentives. The district is intended to preserve neighborhood character, compatible with existing scale and intensity, and provide safe, sustainable living environments. ANALYSIS OF STANDARDS Zoning Map Amendment Factor Finding Complies Complies Complies N/A Complies; though the applicant will be required to provide waste- removal facilities with Page | 6 any development application. The status of existing transportation facilities, any planned changes to the transportation facilities, and the impact that the proposed amendment may have on the city’ s ability, need, and timing of future transportation improvements. Complies The proximity of necessary amenities such as parks, open space, schools, fresh food, entertainment, cultural facilities, and the ability of current and future residents to access these amenities without having to rely on a personal vehicle. Complies The potential impacts to public safety resources created by the increase in development potential that may result from the proposed amendment. Complies 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. Complies; the applicant does not intend to demolish the existing single-family home 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 Complies; no existing businesses on property The community benefits that would result from the proposed map amendment.Complies CITY DEPARTMENT AND DIVISION REVIEW The proposal was reviewed by several Salt Lake City Departments and Divisions; none of which opposed the proposed rezone. The following departments and divisions responded to this proposal: Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Public Utilities, Department of Sustainability, Engineering Division (Department of Community & Neighborhoods), Urban Forestry Division (Department of Public Lands). PROJECT CHRONOLOGY October 9, 2025 – Application for a Zoning Map Amendment reviewed for pre-screen. November 4, 2025 – Application for a Zoning Map Amendment was accepted. November 11, 2025 – Petition PLNPCM2025- 01015 for a zoning map amendment was assigned to Olivia Cvetko, Principal Planner, for staff analysis and processing. October 1, 2025 – Notice was sent to the Glendale Community Council Recognized Community Organization (RCO) informing them of the petition. Early notification of the project was also sent to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the proposal. The proposal was posted for an online open house. The proposal can still be viewed online. An Early Notification sign was posted on the properties by the applicant. January 1, 2026 – The 45-day public comment period for Recognized Organizations ended. Planning Staff posted notices on City and State websites and sent notices via the Planning list serve for the Planning Commission meeting. Public hearing notices were mailed. Page | 7 Public hearing notice sign with project information and notice of the Planning Commission public hearing physically posted on the property. Page | 7 January 8, 2026 – Planning Commission Staff Report was posted. January 14, 2026 – Planning Commission held a public hearing and made a recommendation to the City Council to approve the proposed map amendment. January 16, 2026 – Requested Final Draft of Ordinance from Attorney’s Office. February 2, 2026 – Final Draft of Ordinance received from Attorney’s Office. February 24, 2026 – Transmittal received in City Council Office ATTACHMENTS A.Planning Commission Staff Report B.Stream January 14, 2026 Planning Commission Briefing