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RESOLUTION NO. 6 OF 2015
A Resolution of the Salt Lake City Council in Support of Re-Addressing Planning in the Northwest Quadrant for Beneficial Land Uses
WHEREAS, Utah’s population growth continues toward more than doubling the present number of residents, and;
WHEREAS, population growth remains the single largest challenge Utah faces now and in the future, and;
WHEREAS, Salt Lake County’s population is scheduled to grow by 61 percent by 2050 – an increase of 600,000 people, and;
WHEREAS, due to that growth, property on which to develop homes and businesses will become a premium, and;
WHEREAS, providing adequate resources such as clean water and air, and necessary components of society, such as housing and jobs for people, will determine the success or failure of this and future generations, and;
WHEREAS, Salt Lake City has long recognized that The Great Salt Lake and wetlands, and other land around it are intrinsic natural resources that are parts of a great Western Hemisphere ecosystem that myriad kinds of birds depend on, and;
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City International Airport, the Union Pacific Intermodal Freight Rail Hub near 700 South and 4400 West streets, and Interstate 80 make the Northwest Quadrant a valuable location for sensible and sensitive development,
THEREFORE, it is imperative that the Northwest Quadrant remain available for beneficial development and preservation and not have its potential debased by hurried, outsized projects.
Moreover, the City Council recommends the following:
Opportunities to preserve additional land between Interstate-80 and The Great Salt Lake should be evaluated to ensure an appropriate balance of growth and environmental preservation needs.
Salt Lake City should re-engage landowners and the community to re-address planning for the Northwest Quadrant – the area located between Bangerter Highway (4000 West), the west City limits (8800 West), 2100 South Street. and the north City limits (3700 North).
If any outsized public facility is built in the Northwest Quadrant, it should follow Salt Lake City’s building and zoning policies and regulations. It also should bear the replacement costs of any public utility capacity – such as water and sewer lines – so replacing that capacity won’t be borne either by Salt Lake City residents and businesses or developers who may locate projects there.
In re-addressing planning for the Northwest Quadrant, the following principles might be used:
o Preserve areas for future industrial, manufacturing, research or distribution.
o Preserve areas for future airport expansion and airport related industry.
o Create economic opportunities by linking the location of jobs with transportation and housing options.
o Concentrate commercial and industrial development near major transportation corridors.
o Encourage industrial and manufacturing uses adjacent to I-80 and around the intermodal rail facility.
o Preserve and enhance natural ecological functions.
o Conserve and manage open space for the continued health of the natural environment and enjoyment of the region’s residents.
o Protect high quality nesting areas used by species sensitive to human intrusion.
o Determine areas of significant habitat and incorporate appropriate buffers between habitat and development areas.
o Plan for strong residential base to support mixed-use centers, and develop neighborhoods within walking distance of mixed-use centers.
o Design communities to encourage social interaction and support family and community relationships.
o Cluster residential development to minimize land consumption and create quality environmental conservation areas.
Passed by the City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah this 24th day of February, 2015.