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- Salt Lake City Planning Commission recommends zoning changes to address the city's housing landscape.
- Proposed changes affect RMF-35 and RMF-45 zones, aiming for more housing options.
- The plan garnered mixed reactions from residents; the City Council has final say on the proposal.
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City is one step closer to a proposed zoning change that advocates say could improve the city's housing landscape.
The Salt Lake City Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend changes to moderate-density multifamily residential district zoning first proposed by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, setting it up for a final vote by the Salt Lake City Council.
One local organization celebrated the vote, saying it could pave the way for "more inclusive, family friendly housing" across the fast-growing city. Others weren't as enthusiastic about the plan, which could shake up future development in the city.
The proposal that the commission recommended would modify the city's RMF-35 and RMF-45 zones. Urban houses, two-family dwellings and row houses can have a maximum height of 35 feet, while cottage courts would be capped at 23 feet under both zones. Multifamily and nonresidential buildings can go up to 35 feet under the former, and they could go up to 45 feet under the latter.
It would generally apply to parts of the lower Avenues, Capitol Hill and Central City neighborhoods, which have the most of those zoning types. Parts of other city neighborhoods also have those zones. Planners say it would help spur "more housing in general."
An initial proposal, created by the mayor, would merge the existing RMF-35 and RMF-45 zones in an effort to "remove barriers to housing development and enable the development of compatible infill housing" within the city's "moderate density" neighborhoods, Mendenhall's administration explained.
Planners ultimately decided to scrap the merger and instead make changes to the language of the two zones following mixed feedback from residents during a public hearing in March, said Aaron Barlow, a senior planner for the city.
Those in favor said it could remove the regulations that limit growth in the city and may have factored into recent school closures, as it limits affordability and options for families. Others worried that it could eliminate the character of each neighborhood or rip out its historic districts. They said it could displace residents and add new transportation issues.
Planners embarked on a block-by-block review of the neighborhoods to see what properties could be rezoned from RMF-35 to RMF-45 based on existing neighborhood conditions. Some buildings in those areas already have larger heights, Barlow explained. He added that the measure includes minor tweaks to the zone.
Residents still expressed mixed feelings despite the changes. For example, Ester Hunter, chairwoman of the East Central Community Council, called on the city to take a "surgical" approach to reviewing what parts of the neighborhood should be rezoned.
"We actually had developed exactly what the city is saying they want, which is all kinds of different housing next to each other, side-by-side, walkability (and) the ability to age in place," she said, pointing to a long history of different zoning types officials have approved over the city's existence.
It also doesn't solve growing parking issues in the city, added Judi Short, chairwoman of the Sugar House Community Council's land use and zoning committee. Resident Cindy Cromer said the revised proposal is "definitely less bad," but she urged the city to tweak the measure further.
Wednesday's meeting took place a day before the Census Bureau released new data showing that Salt Lake City had become the state's fastest-growing city in 2024, adding nearly 6,000 new residents. Its growth has resulted in a housing shortage because it's been difficult for the city to keep up with demand, which, in turn, has raised the cost of housing.
Some came to the meeting to support the city's proposal because they believe it could ease affordability by increasing density, while others argued the city's proposal doesn't go far enough to address housing challenges.
Commissioners agreed that more housing options are critical, leading to their vote in favor.
Leaders of the group Salt Lake County Neighbors for More Neighborhoods lauded the vote, calling it a "powerful step" toward a city where families, seniors and essential workers "can afford to live near jobs, schools, and opportunity."
"We applaud the (commission) for this unanimous vote and for demonstrating that housing policy can be both visionary and grounded in the needs of real people," said Turner Bitton, the group's executive director, in a statement
The measure still must be approved by the City Council. Leaders likely won't pick up the discussion until at least July, after the latest budget is completed, Barlow said.
