PLNZAD2020-00243 - 325 VincentDETERMINATION OF CONTRIBUTING STATUS
DECISION AND FINDINGS
PLNZAD2020-00243
REQUEST:
A request for an Administrative Determination regarding the contributing status of the structure
located at 325-327 S. Vincent Court, which is located within the Central City Local Historic
District. The contributing status of the structure is being questioned by the property owner, due
to a recent fire that caused extensive damage. The subject property is located within the RMF-35
(Moderate Density Multi-Family) zoning district.
DECISION:
The Zoning Administrator finds that the structure located at 325-27 S. Vincent Court is
noncontributing to the Central City Local Historic District. The structure experienced a fire on
March 23, 2020, which resulted in a significant loss of historic integrity. Due to this fire damage,
the building is found to have lost its character defining-features and no longer satisfies the
definition or criteria for a contributing structure.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is located in the Central City Local Historic District, within the H (Historic
Preservation Overlay District) and is subject to the standards in section 21A.34.020 of the Salt
Lake City Zoning Ordinance. The structure is a two story two-family dwelling, which was
constructed turn-of-the-century.
On March 23, 2020, the structure lost the majority of its character defining features due to a fire
of the subject property. Provided in Attachment B, the photos of the fire damage to the second
story of the structure illustrate a loss of the entire second story, roof and fenestration. The
damage to the structure is extensive.
Section 21A.34.020.B of the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance states the following regarding
contributing and non-contributing structures:
Contributing Structure: A structure or site within the H historic preservation overlay
district that meets the criteria outlined in subsection C15 of this section and is of
moderate importance to the city, state, region or nation because it imparts artistic,
historic or cultural values. A contributing structure has its major character defining
features intact and although minor alterations may have occurred they are generally
reversible. Historic materials may have been covered but evidence indicates they are
intact.
Noncontributing Structure: A noncontributing structure is a structure within the H
historic preservation overlay district that does not meet the criteria listed in subsection
C10 of this section. The major character defining features have been so altered as to
make the original and/or historic form, materials and details indistinguishable and
alterations are irreversible. Noncontributing structure may also include those which
are less than fifty (50) years old.”
Historic Resource Surveys are one of the tools used by Staff for the purpose of identifying and
evaluating the quantity and quality of historic resources for land use planning purposes
following guidelines and forms of the Utah State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
The Intensive Level Survey, conducted in 1980, identified this structure as “Contributory.”
An additional historic survey was conducted in 2013, and each property within the Central City
Historic District was evaluated and given one of the following ratings:
ES-Eligible/Significant
EC-Eligible/Contributing
NC-Ineligible
OP-Out of Period
The subject structure was evaluated as EC and is therefore considered a contributing structure.
ANALYSIS & FINDINGS:
21A.34.020.C.15
Standards For The Designation Of A Landmark Site, Local Historic District Or Thematic
Designation: Each lot or parcel of property proposed as a landmark site, for inclusion in a
local historic district, or for thematic designation shall be evaluated according to the
following:
A. Significance in local, regional, state or national history, architecture,
engineering or culture, associated with at least one of the following:
1) Events that have made significant contribution to the important patterns of
history, or
2) Lives of persons significant in the history of the city, region, state, or nation, or
3) The distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction; or
the work of a notable architect or master craftsman, or
4) Information important in the understanding of the prehistory or history of Salt
Lake City; and
B. Physical integrity in terms of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship,
feeling and association as defined by the national park service for the national
register of historic places;
C. The proposed local historic district or thematic designation is listed, or is
eligible to be listed on the national register of historic places;
D. The proposed local historic district contains notable examples of elements of the
city’s history, development patterns or architecture not typically found in other
local historic districts within Salt Lake City;
E. The designation is generally consistent with adopted planning policies; and
F. The designation would be in the overall public interest.
The Ordinance criteria are drawn directly from the national preservation methodology and
evaluation criteria developed by the U.S. Department of the Interior for the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation. In relation to evaluating a property, the National
Park Service provides clarification and guidance in the National Register Bulletin 15 ‘How to
Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation’.
Analysis on standards A and B is done below. Standards C through F are not applicable because
they relate to a district or site, and not to reevaluating the contributing status of individual
parcels within the already designated Central City Local Historic District.
A. Significance in local, regional, State or national history, architecture, engineering or
culture, associated with at least one of the following:
1. Events that have made significant contribution to the important patterns of
history, or
2. Lives of persons significant in the history of the City, region, State, or Nation, or
3. The distractive characteristics of a type, period or method construction; or the
work of a notable architect or master craftsman, or
4. Information important in the understanding of prehistory or history of Salt Lake
City; and
Analysis:
The building is not associated with an event that made a significant contribution to a
pattern of history, is not associated with a person significant in the history of the city,
region, state or nation. The original styling of the building was characteristic of a period
of design; however the physical integrity of the building has been lost due to significant
fire damage. The building does not relate to information important to the understanding
of the prehistory or history of Salt Lake City.
B. Physical integrity in terms of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling
and association as defined by the national park service for the national register of
historic places;
Analysis:
The location of the structure has not been altered. The physical integrity of the subject
structure, in regards to the design, materials, workmanship and feeling have been
significantly altered from the fire. (Please see Attachment B)
SUMMARY:
Section 21A.34.020.C.15 of the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance outlines criteria that each
property within a historic district must meet to be considered “contributing” to the historic
district. Staff has reviewed the damage to the property and analyzed the applicable standards.
Staff finds that the building’s character defining features are not intact and have been
substantially altered and thus is no longer a contributing structure within the Central City Local
Historic District.
If you have any questions regarding this interpretation please contact Kelsey Lindquist at (801)
535-7930 or by email at kelsey.lindquist@slcgov.com.
APPEAL PROCESS:
An applicant or any other person or entity adversely affected by a decision administering or
interpreting this Title may appeal to the Appeals Hearing Officer. Notice of appeal shall be filed
within ten (10) days of the administrative decision. The appeal shall be filed with the Planning
Division and shall specify the decision appealed and the reasons the appellant claims the
decision to be in error. Applications for appeals are located on the Planning Division website at
http://www.slcgov.com/planning/planning-applications along with information about the
applicable fee. Appeals may be filed in person or by mail at:
In Person:
Salt Lake City Corp
Planning Counter
451 S State Street, Room 215
Salt Lake City, UT
US Mail:
Salt Lake City Corp
Planning Counter
PO Box 145471
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5417
NOTICE:
Please be advised that a determination finding a particular use to be a permitted use or a
conditional use shall not authorize the establishment of such use nor the development,
construction, reconstruction, alteration, or moving of any building or structure. It shall merely
authorize the preparation, filing, and processing of applications for any approvals and permits
that may be required by the codes and ordinances of the City including, but not limited to, a
zoning certificate, a building permit, and a certificate of occupancy, subdivision approval, and a
site plan approval.
Dated this 26th Day of March, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Kelsey Lindquist
Senior Planner
cc: Nick Norris, Planning Director
Michaela Oktay, Assistant Planning Director
Wayne Mills, Planning Manager
Joel Paterson, Zoning Administrator
Greg Mikolash, Development Review Supervisor
Posted to Web
Applicable Recognized Organizations
ATTACHMENT A
2013 RLS Photo
ATTACHMENT B
Photos of the Structure Post Fire
ATTACHMENT C
2013 RLS Map of Contributing Structures