Salt Lake rezones land in Capitol Hill area

After taking comments from residents in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Salt Lake City Council acted Tuesday night to rezone land in one of the city's northernmost neighborhoods.

Rezoning the land will allow a developer to build condominiums, town homes, a grocery store and several small shops on land around 600 North and 300 West within the next two years.

"It, in my estimation, is going to be the tipping point that will accelerate the development of this particular area," said Eric Jergensen, the council member who represents the area.

Howa Capital wants to start construction Oct. 1 with plans to open the first condos and town homes next fall. The company is negotiating with a local grocer to fill some of the retail space and give the neighborhood its first grocery store in two decades.

"We would appreciate it if you can approve this project," said Erlinda Davis, a resident, just before the council's unanimous vote. "We can't wait to have a grocery store in the neighborhood."

Carlton Christensen, a City Council member who lives in Rose Park but drives past the intersection daily on his way to work, said the development will be a vast improvement to the city's gateway to northern and western commuters.

"This will not only contribute to the local neighborhood but the community as a whole and the community commuting to downtown Salt Lake," Christensen said.

The City Council had to rezone the land because the current zoning on both sides of 300 West included five different zones. The new zone, a residential-mixed use, will allow the blend of residential, office and retail that Howa Capital wants.

The rezoning did not take place without opposition, however.

Resident Lorraine Miller said the scale of the development does not fit with the rest of the neighborhood.

"I don't think the buildings are compatible with the residential quality of the area," Miller said. "There is nothing equal to this development — nothing."

Jergensen worked with the city planning department, the developer and the neighborhood to determine height limits on the development — the tallest buildings Howa wants to build are 60 feet, but the new zone allows up to 75 feet. Jergensen tried earlier in the council meeting to change Howa's requested zoning to one that would limit the height at 60 feet, but other considerations for the development ended his push.

The City Council also approved a request from another developer Tuesday night. Blake Henderson, who owns property near the corner of 900 East and 100 South, requested a higher-density zone to build a condominium building there.