SALT LAKE CITY HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION Minutes of the
Special Luncheon Meeting Held at 451 South State Street, Room 126
Present from the Historic Landmark Commission were Scott Christensen, William Littig, Vicki Mickelsen, Oktai Parvaz, Alex Protasevich, Amy Rowland, Soren Simonsen, and Mark Wilson. Wayne Gordon, Magda Jakovcev-Ulrich, Sarah Miller, Robert Payne, and Robert Young were excused.
Present from the Planning Staff were Stephen A. Goldsmith, Planning Director, Robert Glessner and Doug Dansie, Principal Planners, Joel Paterson, Senior Planner, Cheri Coffey, Planning Programs Supervisor, Elizabeth Giraud and Nelson Knight, Preservation Planners. City Council Member Nancy Saxton and Janice Jardine from the City Council Office were also present.
An agenda was mailed to the pertinent people and was posted in the appropriate locations in the building, according to the open meeting law. A roll is being kept with the minutes of all who attended the Historic Landmark Commission meeting. The minutes are presented in agenda order, not necessarily as items were presented at the Historic Landmark Commission meeting. Tapes of the meeting will be retained in the commission office for a period of one year, after which they will be erased.
• Mr. Parvaz, as Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 12:00 Noon.
Ms. Coffey referred to her memorandum regarding a draft copy of the Central Community Master Plan Transit Oriented Development (TOO) map and the draft text for the Transit Corridor zoning district, which had been presented to the members of the Historic Landmark Commission, a copy of which was filed with the minutes. Ms. Coffey said that this background overview should help the Commission begin the discussion of how to balance the Transit Orientated Development and preservation policies of the city. Ms. Coffey introduced the members from the Planning Staff and others in attendance. Mr. Glessner said that both Wayne Gordon, a member of the Historic Landmark Commission, and Nelson Knight, a member of the Planning Staff, participated in the master plan process. He said that the Planning Staff had been meeting with the East Central and the Central City Community Councils regarding the new zoning district. Mr. Glessner stated that both community councils wanted lower density along the 400 South Street corridor. He added that the conclusion was that there would be three Transit Oriented Development zoning districts for high, medium, and low densities.
Mr. Glessner said the Planning Staff prepared a slide presentation to give the members of the Historic Landmark Commission background information on the proposed Transit Oriented Development (TOO) district. Mr. Glessner talked about the trolley system that was once in Salt Lake City. He said that many of the buildings along the system were three or four stories high and the City was attempting to rejuvenate what the Transit Oriented Development used to be in the past. He noted that the City wants to continue the preservation of historic structures, expand multi-family housing uses in existing commercially zoned properties, and enhance the area with open space. Mr. Glessner addressed the proposed light rail station on 400 South and 600 East Streets. He added that most the existing trees would remain with additional trees planted. He said the City wants to curtail the "strip mall" atmosphere, bring buildings closer to the street, and encourage anchor buildings on each corner of an intersection.
Mr. Glessner showed slides that were photographs and overlays of what the City was attempting to accomplish along the 400 South Street corridor. Slides were shown of some cities in California, Seattle, and Paris.
The Planning Staff used briefing boards to further demonstrate the Transit Oriented Development zoning district.
Mr. Dansie referred to the draft copy of the proposed Transit Oriented Development zoning districts that the Commissioners received. He said that the proposed transit corridor district on 400 South was only one phase of the Transit Oriented Development zoning district.
Mr. Dansie stated that the ordinance would modify all of the commercial zoning districts in the city that interface with residential units. He indicated that what American cities have traditionally done in the past was to focus on separating uses of zoning, where certain sections would be commercial, certain sections would be residential, and certain sections would be industrial. Mr. Dansie said that the City was moving towards making uses that would be compatible.
Mr. Dansie talked about some of the content of the draft ordinance, such as requiring doors to be oriented towards the street, as opposed to a parking lot in the rear, and that the street facades of buildings would have to be 40 percent glass so there would be interaction with pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Mr. Dansie said that the two proposed zoning districts along the transit corridor would be TC-75 and TC-45. He said that the purpose statement of the TC-75 and TC-45 Transit Corridor Districts is to provide an environment for efficient and attractive transit and pedestrian-oriented commercial and mixed-use development along major transit corridors. Mr. Dansie said that the draft ordinance would allow a 75-foot tall building west of 700 East Streets, and a 45-foot tall building would be allowed east of 700 East along 400 South Streets. He said that the district would end at 900 East Street. Mr. Dansie pointed out that this east fork of downtown had historically been a high density development area, and just six years ago, a 300-foot tall office building could have been constructed. Mr. Dansie circulated a photograph of an example of a four-story building in such a zoning district. He said that a building would have one or two stories of retail and housing on the upper stories separated by concrete. Mr. Dansie said that the Bridges and Gateway projects in Salt Lake City have followed this concept.
Ms. Rowland said that much of the residential housing in the district has porches, balconies, or patios, and it seemed like there would be a lack of open space. Mr. Goldsmith stated that a survey was done about the open space deficit in portions of the East Central community. He said that the City was aware of the fact that the area bounded by South Temple and 900 South Streets, and State and 700 East Streets, contained a deficit and the City has to try to balance housing needs with open space needs, but is uncertain where that point would be.
Mr. Simonsen suggested having some mechanism in the proposed zoning ordinance to allow open space contingencies built into the higher density requirements. Mr. Dansie said that most of the higher density zones include some open space requirements and porches and balconies could count toward that. However, he said that the City wanted to make certain that nothing is included that would exclude the traditional "U" shaped courtyard buildings. Mr. Simonsen also suggested that some additional provisions be put in the proposed ordinance that would ensure compatibility to the scale of the structures just outside the district, even though they would be stepped.
Ms. Mickelsen inquired if the plans for 400 South Street were constrained because the street is owned by the State. Mr. Goldsmith said that the City has been working with UDOT and managed to get about 60 more trees than the State would have allowed, but added that the City is constrained to a certain degree. Mr. Dansie said that there would also be new street lighting with a low enough canopy that the light would reflect onto the sidewalk along the corridor. Mr. Simonsen said "kudos" to the City for "pushing UDOT to its limit and hope there are improvements in the future
Mr. Littig talked about the minimum landscaping for a surface parking lot. Mr. Glessner said the standard would be five percent vegetation, with a seven-foot buffer against an adjacent residential property. Mr. Little also inquired if tl1ere would be requirements in the proposed ordinance against the use of non-reflective, obscured, or black glass in the district, because pedestrians should be able to see through the glass for any interaction. Mr. Dansie said that the proposed ordinance would be rigid requiring forty percent glass, but there would be certain circumstances where translucent glass would have to be used. However, he added that pedestrians would be able to see motion behind the glass. Mr. Littig said that spandrel glass could also be a problem.
Ms. Giraud inquired about extending the TC-45 zoning district to the middle of the block, keeping the frontage high on 400 South Street, then the buildings could be stepped down having more of a "cascading effect". Mr. Dansie said that the Transit Oriented Development zone would only apply where there is an existing commercial zoning. Mr. Glessner said that the City wants to protect the housing stock on 300 South Street.
Ms. Coffey asked how developers could be discouraged from demolishing historic buildings and building new higher density buildings at a higher profit. Mr. Glessner said that other sites on 400 South Street, such as Office Max, the Family Center, and the Fourth South Market, do not have historic buildings on the site and could potentially be redeveloped.
Ms. Rowland inquired if there was an ability to lower the parking requirements in the proposed zoning district so the land could be used for something other than a parking lot. Mr. Dansie said that in the proposed Transit Oriented Development district, the City would allow a fifty percent reduction in off-street parking requirements. Mr. Glessner said that the development would have to be a mixed use of both residential and commercial. Ms. Rowland suggested that a ratio formula be developed for building heights on a single block area.
Mr. Wilson recommended that there would be some kind of a break up or an in-and-out effect every 400 feet of the street frontages in the transit corridor. Ms. Giraud gave the Governor's Plaza as an example.
Mr. Glessner said there is an interest of creating a Fourth South Merchants Association. Mr. Dansie said that the new light poles would have brackets to attach banners, so the association's advertising could be unified. Ms. Coffey believed that an association being formed was a good idea, but it should also include the owners of properties.
Ms. Jardine inquired if a clause could be incorporated into the proposed zoning ordinance that would have an incentive for a developer to build more affordable housing. Mr. Dansie said that was a good point. Ms. Jardine also encouraged the idea of limiting developers to use certain materials. Ms. Coffey said the Historic Landmark Commission reviews material as well as design.
Council Member Saxton expressed her concerns about the maximum height and the high density that would be allowed in the proposed transit corridor. She encouraged the use of pedestrian walkways through the mass of buildings. Council Member Saxton said that Salt Lake City is very unique in that residents still like single-family dwellings with yards, which is different than the national trend. She said that the proposed zoning should be studied with prudence. There was more discussion regarding the scale and massing of buildings next to residential.
Ms. Mickelsen inquired if the City had done market research on the need for more housing close to downtown. Mr. Dansie said that the City had not done a market study, but some developers have. He said that at one time condominiums were being marketed to "empty nesters" and senior citizens, but now are capturing the interest of "single women" who choose to have a secure building.
A lengthy discussion took place, as the fine points of the proposed Transit Oriented Development zoning district were discussed.
When Ms. Coffey asked the members of the Historic Landmark Commission if they would approve buildings as high as 75 feet to be constructed along the transit corridor, Mr. Parvaz said that he believed that the overlay zone regulations would be the primary consideration and that each case would have to be studied on a case-by-case basis. Ms. Coffey said that the maximum height for the new zones should be appropriate for historic preservation policies instead of setting it up for a battle every time a case is reviewed.
Mr. Dansie said that what he understood from the discussion was that there should be three zoning districts, rather than two. He said that staff would consider the possibility of creating a lower height in the historic district between 500 and 700 East Streets along 400 South Street.
Ms. Coffey suggested that the Commissioners E-mail any further comments to staff.
• Mr. Parvaz thanked the staff for their very informative presentation on the future Transit Oriented Development district.
As there was no other business, Mr. Parvaz asked for a motion to adjourn.
Mr. Wilson so moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Christensen seconded the motion. It was a unanimous vote of approval by the Commission members and the meeting adjourned at 2:15P.M.