Bias Now
Holladay may be the next city to adopt anti-bias ordinances, and judging by the comments made by one city council member, the protections are needed. In a recent work session, City Councilman Barry Topham said that he opposes the ordinances because property owners should be able to choose who can, and cannot, rent from them. “I think you should be able to discriminate if you don’t want a cross-dresser living in your house,” Topham said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. He added that he doesn’t think the city should be debating the issue because there are bigger problems and the anti-bias proposals are a “can of worms.” In Topham’s case, those worms are LGBT neighbors.
Smart Homes
A group of construction and government officials who advise the state on building codes is set to recommend rules that would make new homes significantly more energy efficient. Members of the Uniform Building Code Commission, who are appointed by the governor, have studied the issue of energy efficiency for two years. Their proposed rules would require all new homes to have at least 50 percent high-efficiency lighting, higher insulation ratings and a third-party review of the home’s efficiency. Already, the commission is getting pushback from homebuilders—one of the more powerful lobbying groups at the Legislature—because the standards would make homes more expensive. And, after all, the only thing that matters in the energy debate is the short-term cost.
Market Woes
The 9th & 9th Business District has canceled its farmers market, announcing on its Facebook page that the support for it wasn’t there. “After months of trying to create a 9th & 9th Market, we have come to the difficult conclusion that there doesn’t seem to be much of a market to embrace our market.” The market was on Thursday evenings, and the competition with other activities—such as the Twilight Concert series—may have reduced interest, especially with other farmers markets around the city on other days. But the 9th & 9th market was a walkable option for nearby residents, and the relatively small crowds made for more relaxed shopping. Since many people complain that the Downtown Farmers Market on Saturday can become too congested, it’s too bad that smaller markets like this couldn’t alleviate some demand. Maybe next year.
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Josh
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