Salt Lake City Council closes 1000 West railroad crossing to speed up quiet zone restoration. 

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West side residents discussed their hopes and fears for the proposed Power District during a Salt Lake City Council meeting Tuesday night. The Council also passed an ordinance to close a railroad crossing on 1000 West and held a public hearing for a budget amendment.

Railroad Quiet Zone
The City Council continued a public hearing on an ordinance to temporarily close a portion of 1000 West, where the railroad crosses near South Temple. The closure would aid in restoring the Woods Cross Quiet Zone, which was suspended in October after the Federal Railroad Administration found that and other crossings to be out of compliance with safety requirements.

Residents near the crossing spoke on how their sleep and quality of life have been affected by the suspension of the quiet zone, as freight and passenger trains must now sound their horns as they pass.

“I live in the affected zone and was unaware that this would be such a problem in my life,” resident Madeline West said. “I know that this is something that is really harmful for a lot of people, both myself and my husband, included.”

Others shared similar experiences.

“All aspects of our lives are suffering,” John Hoffman said.

After the hearing concluded, the Council approved the closure of 1000 West. The location is the last out-of-compliance crossing on its particular rail line, but a private driveway near the rail crossing on 1700 South continues to violate Quiet Zone requirements. Officials with Lehi City who oversee the multi-jurisdictional Quiet Zone application posted to social media on Wednesday that an agreement with the property owner to close and relocate the driveway is nearing completion.

Power District
The Council continued a public hearing on a proposed west side rezone that would facilitate the development of the Power District near the Jordan River.

The Power District is planned to fill in more than 90 acres of largely vacant and industrially impacted land in the Poplar Grove neighborhood at approximately 1500 W. North Temple. The Larry H. Miller Company (LHM) petitioned the rezone and would develop the new district as a mixed-use residential, retail and entertainment hub, potentially anchored by a professional sports franchise.

“The west side has long shouldered the industrial burdens of the city and the state growth while being denied many of the benefits,” said Jason Wessel, vice president of the Westside Coalition. “It's exciting to finally see a project aimed at bringing people, businesses, dining and entertainment to the center of our community.”

Wessel also stressed the importance of continued communication with west side residents as the project develops, a sentiment echoed by many of the speakers.

“We are hopeful—and fearful—that the development partners of the Power District will continue to communicate with us and update our neighborhoods as stakeholders and allow us input on each stage of the progress of this endeavor,” Courtney Reeser, vice chair of the Rose Park Community Council, said.

Others discussed their own experiences with LHM.

“Every time that we have come to the Miller family and spoken with them, they really want to understand what's going on,” Jennifer Nuttall, executive director of the Neighborhood House, said. “They want to be able to help with solving the issue, not just putting a veneer on the top. And that's what impresses me about this and makes me hopeful about this investment.”

After the public hearing ended, Councilmembers Alejandro Puy and Victoria Petro, both representatives of the west side, took a moment to speak.

¨We are hopeful that this continued partnership ends up in an agreement that includes those things mentioned here—mixing workforce housing, some discrimination protections, ensuring that the city doesn't have to raise taxes for infrastructure needs beyond this,” Puy said. “And I am thankful for everybody that has commented on this.”

Petro, in an impassioned speech, reaffirmed her commitment to west side residents, who “are the essence of what makes Utah great,” and shared her belief that this development will benefit the west side.

“We will not trample—we will create opportunity. This must continue to be the home of the people who make not just the city but the state work,” Petro said. “This needs to stay in our home. I am so optimistic for what we're building.”

Afterward, the Council closed the hearing and referred the rezone to a future date for action.

Budget and Comments
The Council held a public hearing for a proposed budget amendment totalling $73 million.Of that amount, $26 million would go to a new fund created for the Downtown Revitalization Zone. Another $14 million would be to purchase new vehicles for various state departments.

No one spoke at the hearing, and the Council voted to act on the item at a future date.

During the general comments portion of the meeting, the Council also heard several statements in support of Title 18 amendments that the Council has been working on drafting. These amendments would pertain to building codes and enforcement and increase fees for boarded and unmaintained buildings.

“We have a lot of broken windows, and we have homeless going in and out, and we have constant risk of fires,” Anne Ruth Isaacson, an East downtown resident, said. “I ask you to make the fees and fines relevant to what the value of the property is, so they stop behaving this way.”

Another resident shared similar thoughts.

“I don't believe that those fines are terribly discouraging, and I want to know what else it is that we can do to hold people responsible for maintaining properties that are in our neighborhoods,” Ben Engel said.

Both residents also commented on the fire risk that unmaintained buildings have created. For example, in early November, a fire broke out at an abandoned apartment complex on 400 East. One person was hospitalized following the incident.

The Council has not scheduled a public hearing or a date for potential action on the amendments yet.