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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Provided Information - 5/5/2026CITY 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:Brian Fullmer, Policy Analyst DATE:May 5, 2026 RE: Fortune Road Street Vacation (PLNPCM2025-00864) BRIEFING UPDATE During the April 21, 2026 City Council briefing, Council Members clarified that rail lines in the area do not cross the subject property and would not be affected by the proposed street vacation. The following information was provided for the April 21, 2026 briefing. It is included again for background purposes. ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE The Council will be briefed about a proposal from the Thatcher Company to vacate (or relinquish ownership of) a portion of Fortune Road between the intersection with Wallace Road (approximately 1900 West) and where the road dead ends at approximately 2040 West as shown in the image below. The applicant owns all properties abutting this section of the road and their stated intent is to consolidate the surrounding properties and incorporate the street segment into the Thatcher campus. If approved by the Council, the applicant would be required to obtain an appraisal for the street segment and purchase it from the City at market value. The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal at its January 14, 2026 meeting and held a public hearing at which no one spoke. Planning staff recommended and the Commission voted 6:1 to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for the requested street vacation with the conditions listed below. The Commissioner who voted against the proposal did not say why they were opposed. Item Schedule: Page | 2 1. The lots shall be consolidated with the portion of the vacated street so that no parcel is landlocked or without public street frontage. 2. Any private utilities installed within the proposed vacated right-of-way must be granted easement for access to the City Engineering Department. 3. The road should be maintained as a fire access, with a fire-approved gate, per the department comments in Attachment F in the staff report, and the fire hydrant shall remain active and accessible. Goal of the briefing: Review the proposed partial street closure, determine if the Council supports moving forward with the proposal. Vicinity map with the subject road segment proposed to be vacated highlighted. Image courtesy of Salt Lake City Planning Division ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Thatcher Company campus is located between Redwood Road and Interstate 215, and between California Avenue and the Surplus Canal. Given this location, it is highly unlikely a new road would be built connecting to Fortune Road. The company manufactures and distributes chemicals. It is their belief that vacating the street segment will allow increased security and safety at its campus by limiting access to its properties. As noted in the Planning Commission recommended conditions, a fire-approved gate would allow emergency access to the property, and a fire hydrant would remain active. Page | 3 Thatcher’s properties are zoned M-1 (Light Manufacturing) and M-2 (Heavy Manufacturing). Surrounding zoning is primarily M-1 in the immediate area and transitions to MU-5 (Mixed-Use 5) for properties on both sides of Redwood Road. R-1/5,000 single-family residential is the dominant zoning farther to the east. KEY CONSIDERATIONS Planning staff identified three key considerations during analysis of this proposal which are found on pages 5-6 of the Planning Commission staff report and summarized below. For the complete analysis please see the staff report. Consideration 1 – How the Proposal Helps Implement City Goals & Policies Identified in Adopted Plans Westside Master Plan, page 54 Consideration 2 – Compliance with Zoning Requirements Street vacations require that no parcels will be landlocked or left without street access. If the proposed street vacation is adopted by the Council, some parcels would be landlocked. However, as noted above, all abutting parcels are owned by the applicant. They plan to consolidate the parcels into their campus which would resolve the issue. Consideration 3 – Department Review Comments During City department review of the proposed street vacation, the Fire Department included a condition requiring the vacated street to remain a fire access road with a department approved gate, and the existing Page | 4 fire hydrant remain active and accessible. The Engineering Division would require an easement for any private utilities in the subject section of road. PROJECT CHRONOLOGY September 2, 2025 – Application for street vacation was received by Planning Division. September 18, 2025 – Petition assigned to Cassie Younger, Senior Planner. Additional information requested from the applicant. October 30, 2025 – o 45- day notice was sent to the Glendale Community Council informing them of the petition. The 45-day input and comment period began. o Early notification was sent to property owners within 300 feet of the applicant’s property. November 5, 2025 – o Signs posted on Fortune Road notifying the public of the proposed vacation. o Project posted to the City’s Online Open House webpage for public comments. No comments have been received as of the writing of this report. December 14, 2025 – 45-day comment period ended. December 31, 2025 – o Planning Commission agenda posted to the Planning Commission website and the State of Utah Public Notice webpage. o Public hearing notice posted on City and State websites. January 2, 2026 – Planning Commission public notice signs posted along Fortune Road. January 14, 2026 - The Planning Commission held a public hearing and made a recommendation to the City Council to approve the street vacation request. February 11, 2026 – Draft ordinance sent to the Attorney’s Office. April 1, 2026 – Final ordinance received from the Attorney’s Office. April 6, 2026 – Transmittal received in City Council Office. STREET CLOSURE PROCESS The street closure process is dictated by Section 10-9a-609.5 Utah State Code which is included below for reference. 10-9a-609.5. Petition to vacate a public street. Page | 5 (3)If a petition is submitted containing a request to vacate some or all of a public street or municipal utility easement, the legislative body shall hold a public hearing in accordance with Section 10-9a- 208 and determine whether: (a)good cause exists for the vacation; and (b)the public interest or any person will be materially injured by the proposed vacation. (4)The legislative body may adopt an ordinance granting a petition to vacate some or all of a public street or municipal utility easement if the legislative body finds that: (a)good cause exists for the vacation; and (b)neither the public interest nor any person will be materially injured by the vacation. (5)If the legislative body adopts an ordinance vacating some or all of a public street or municipal utility easement, the legislative body shall ensure that one or both of the following is recorded in the office of the recorder of the county in which the land is located: (a)a plat reflecting the vacation; or (b)(i)an ordinance described in Subsection (4); and (ii)a legal description of the public street to be vacated. (6)The action of the legislative body vacating some or all of a public street or municipal utility easement that has been dedicated to public use: (a)operates to the extent to which it is vacated, upon the effective date of the recorded plat or ordinance, as a revocation of the acceptance of and the relinquishment of the municipality's fee in the vacated public street or municipal utility easement; and (b)may not be construed to impair: (i)any right-of-way or easement of any parcel or lot owner; (ii)the rights of any public utility; or (iii)the rights of a culinary water authority or sanitary sewer authority. (7)(a)A municipality may submit a petition, in accordance with Subsection (2), and initiate and complete a process to vacate some or all of a public street. (b)If a municipality submits a petition and initiates a process under Subsection (7)(a): (i)the legislative body shall hold a public hearing; (ii)the petition and process may not apply to or affect a public utility easement, except to the extent: (A)the easement is not a protected utility easement as defined in Section 54-3-27; (B)the easement is included within the public street; and (C)the notice to vacate the public street also contains a notice to vacate the easement; and (iii)a recorded ordinance to vacate a public street has the same legal effect as vacating a public street through a recorded plat or amended plat. (8)A legislative body may not approve a petition to vacate a public street under this section unless the vacation identifies and preserves any easements owned by a culinary water authority and sanitary sewer authority for existing facilities located within the public street.