After a thorough multi-year process involving public input and city hall decision-makers, Salt Lake City is on the brink of a significant overhaul of its RMF-35 and RMF-45 missing-middle zones, previously criticized for their inefficiencies.
In a mid-May meeting, the Planning Commission voted unanimously, 5-0, to send a positive recommendation for the revised ‘Multi-family Merger’ proposal to the city council.
The updated zoning legislation is designed to increase housing density and diversity while providing incentives for developers to preserve existing structures.
However, the original proposal met with resistance due to maximum height restrictions imposed by residents and planning commissioners, leading to the decision to drop the ‘merger’ concept altogether.
As part of the new proposal, maximum building heights will remain at 35 and 45 feet in RMF-35 and RMF-45, respectively, without options for additional height through design review, appeasing local preservationists who opposed the initial changes.
While neighborhood preservation advocates secured their victory by maintaining height restrictions, housing advocates expressed satisfaction with the commission’s updated proposal.
The revisions aim to address the shortcomings of the pre-existing RMF-35 and RMF-45 requirements that have limited development since their inception in 1995, with a mere 4% of lots seeing development over three decades.
The updated rules will lower minimum lot sizes, setbacks, and parking requirements, and remove the street frontage requirement previously in place.
This rewrite will also allow multiple primary dwellings on a single parcel, addressing the housing crisis in the area.
To alleviate concerns about incentivizing the demolition of existing residential buildings, density bonuses have been incorporated for retaining current structures.
Developers will earn two bonus units for preserving single-family or two-family homes and four additional units for maintaining multi-family residences.
Under the new guidelines, off-street parking is mandated at one space per unit, and multi-family buildings will be limited to a maximum of 20 units in both RMF zones.
Senior Planner Aaron Barlow summarized the commission’s recent revisions during the meeting, pointing out that most regulations regarding lot area, design standards, and open space will remain constant, with the primary distinction being the allowed maximum heights for various housing types.
Urban houses, two-family dwellings, and rowhouses will all maintain a maximum height of 35 feet, while cottage developments will be capped at 23 feet.
However, multi-family and non-residential structures will have differing limits, allowing heights of up to 45 feet in RMF-45 but restricting them to 35 feet in RMF-35.
During the public comment period, various representatives from neighborhood organizations shared their perspectives on the proposed changes.
Esther Hunter, representing the East Central Community Council, praised her neighborhood’s diverse ‘patchwork quilt of zoning’ that allows for a mix of housing types.
She warned against blanket changes, arguing that automatically elevating all RMF-35 zones to RMF-45 could destroy existing, organically developed neighborhoods.
Cindy Cromer, a historical preservationist and former planning commissioner, acknowledged that while there had been some progress in preserving neighborhood character, certain fixes like increased setbacks did not receive attention from the commission.
Conversely, supporters of the city’s pro-housing initiative expressed optimism about the recent changes.
Board Member Mohith Reppale from Salt Lake City Neighbors for More Neighbors commended the city for reflecting community feedback and making smart, balanced decisions to address the housing crisis.
Executive Director Turner Bitton stated that these updates are vital for creating a Salt Lake City where families, seniors, and essential workers can afford to live near jobs and opportunities.
Commissioner Amy Barry, who previously opposed the height allowances in the original proposal, expressed her support for the revised changes, emphasizing the need to maintain a variety of housing types while promoting development.
Barry concluded, ‘I think we’ve gotten to the point where we do that better than the initial view of consolidation.’
Her fellow commissioners voiced similar sentiments, resulting in the unanimous 5-0 endorsement to move the proposal forward to the city council for final approval.
image source from：https://buildingsaltlake.com/missing-middle-reform-advanced-by-planning-commission-after-revisions/
