Salt Lake City “Fine Tunes” Historic Regulations, Wants Public Comments

Salt Lake City is reexamining its rules on historic buildings and historic districts.  Referring to the changes as “fine tuning” rather than an overhaul, Salt Lake City’s proposed changes include streamlining approval processes for applicants in historic districts, clarifying who can nominate buildings or neighborhoods to the City’s historic register, reduce the number of members on the Historic Landmark Committee, and allowing greater flexibility to alter non-historic buildings within historic districts.

The biggest change to the local historic designation regulations is the process and requirements to gauge property owner support of designating a neighborhood a historic district.  This is in direct response to the passing of SB 243 during the 2011 General Session of the Utah State Legislature and the controversy of designating the Yalecrest Neighborhood as a historic district.

The proposed changes will require that 51% or more of property owners affected by a proposed historic designation support the measure.  If the 51% threshold is not met, a 2/3 majority of City Council members is required for the historic designation but only if the proposed historic property is one of the best examples of an element of Salt Lake City’s history and architecture and it is in the overall public interest to do so. 

The criteria to determine if a property or neighborhood could be designated as historic will not change and the City will continue to rely on professional staff and consultants within the historic preservation field to generate the technical data and recommendations to the City.

Currently, these proposed changes are in draft form and Salt Lake City wants input and comments from the public.  The documents and specific language of the proposed changes as well as fact sheets and points of contact are pertaining to the proposed changes are posted on the Salt Lake City Planning Division website.  

Salt Lake City has several ways for members of the public to voice opinions and to get involved:

• Post your comments on Open City Hall.
• Attend the Public Open House: December 15, 2011; 1st floor of the City & County Building from 4:30-6:00 P.M.
• Watch the Briefings on Channel 17 or watch on the Internet at www.slctv.com- The Planning Commission and Historic Landmark Commission will be briefed on the matter at their December meetings.
•  Attend the Planning Commission Meeting: Wednesday December 14, 2011; 5:30 Room 326 of the City & County Building.
• Attend the Historic Landmark Commission Meeting: Thursday December 15, 2011; 5:30 Room 326 of the City & County Building.
• Attend the Historic Landmark Commission Public Hearing on Thursday January 5, 2012; meeting starts at 5:30 Room 326 of the City & County Building.
• Attend the Planning Commission Public Hearing on Wednesday January 11, 2012; meeting starts at 5:30 Room 326 of the City & County Building.