SLC Council Considers Zoning Changes for Sports and Entertainment District

The Salt Lake City Council is expected to consider a zoning change requested by Smith Entertainment Group that would lift height restrictions on buildings near the Delta Center, allowing skyscrapers up to 600 feet to be built within a seven-block area.

If the project is approved, skyscrapers near the arena could tower more than 150 feet above the Wells Fargo Center and the Church Office Building on Temple Square.

The City Council’s decision to amend the project comes after members of the city’s Planning Commission unanimously rejected the request, saying the project was being pushed forward too quickly and should not receive special treatment because of the Legislature’s priorities. The City Council is not required to follow the commission’s negative recommendation.

This story will be updated with a live stream of Tuesday’s work session, which begins at 2 p.m. Council members are tentatively scheduled to hear the zoning update shortly after 4 p.m.

The work sessions are open to all. The council will accept public comments during the general comment section of its official 7 p.m. meeting. In-person general comments are limited to a one-hour block, but the council is accepting additional comments through several online options, including email and a 24-hour phone line.

The council is expected to schedule a public hearing on the zoning changes for Aug. 13, during which there will be no time limit for public comment.

The council is also expected to receive an update Tuesday on a major proposal that will outline how SEG can use $900 million in state funding to improve the Delta Center and surrounding area.

The deal, known as a “participation agreement” at City Hall, was still under negotiation Friday, according to a statement from Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office last week. The administration said it expected to finalize a draft of the agreement early this week, but no agreement has yet been released.

The council will not vote on the deal Tuesday, but could give it tentative approval at its July 9 meeting.

If council members approve the deal, it would still need to be reviewed and approved by the Capital Revitalization Commission — an oversight board created by the legislature — and then returned to the council for final approval.

Assuming final approval is granted by the council, the city would increase the citywide sales tax rate by half a percentage point, generating about $54 million per year that would be used to pay down the project’s debt.

According to projections from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, up to 80 percent of the sales tax increase would be paid by travelers, tourists and businesses living outside the city limits. The average property tax increase for Salt Lake City residents would be about $150.

Under the legislation that authorizes negotiations on the sports district, the participation agreement must delineate the project area, include plans for the redesign of the Delta Center and establish a 30-year master plan for the development of the area. It must also provide for changes to existing buildings and include plans to address homelessness, public safety, transportation and parking in the area.

In addition to taxpayer support, SEG has committed to investing at least $3 billion of its own money in the region.

This story will be updated throughout the day.