A. Purpose Statement: The purpose of the D-1 Central Business District is to provide for commercial and economic development within Salt Lake City's most urban and intense areas. A broad range of uses, including very high density housing, are intended to foster a twenty four (24) hour activity environment consistent with the area's function as the business, office, retail, entertainment, cultural and tourist center of the region. Development is intended to be very intense with high lot coverage and large buildings that are placed close together while being oriented toward the pedestrian with a strong emphasis on a safe and attractive streetscape and preserving the urban nature of the downtown area. This district is appropriate in areas where supported by applicable master plans. The standards are intended to achieve established objectives for urban design, pedestrian amenities and land use control.
B. Uses: Uses in the D-1 Central Business District as specified in Section 21A.33.050, "Table of Permitted and Conditional Uses for Downtown Districts", of this title, are permitted subject to the general provisions set forth in Section 21A.30.010 of this chapter.
C. D-1 Central Business District General Regulations: The regulations established in this section apply to the D-1 Central Business District as a whole.
1. Yard Requirements: No minimum yards are required. A maximum yard of eight feet (8') is allowed.
a. If provided, the yard must include one of the following elements:
(1) Seating at a ratio of at least one bench for every 500 square feet of yard space; or
(2) Landscaping that includes an increase of at least 25% in the total number of trees required to be planted on the site; or
(3) Awning or a similar form of weather protection that covers at least five feet in width and length from all street-facing building entrances.
b. Exceptions to this requirement may be authorized through the design review process, subject to the requirements of Chapter 21A.59 of this title.
c. The planning director, in consultation with the transportation director, may modify this requirement to accommodate a wider sidewalk if the adjacent public sidewalk is less than 15' wide and the resulting modification to the setback results in a more efficient public sidewalk. The planning director may waive this requirement for any addition, expansions, or intensification, which increases the floor area or parking requirement by less than 50% if the planning director finds the following:
(1) The architecture of the addition is compatible with the architecture of the original structure or the surrounding architecture, or
(2) The addition reduces the extent of the noncompliance of the existing building.
d. Regardless of the setback provided, doors shall be setback a minimum distance to allow the door to operate without swinging into a right of way or midblock walkway.
e. Interior Side Yards: No minimum interior side yard is required.
f. Rear Yard: No minimum rear yard is required.
D. Height Regulations: Buildings in the D-1 zoning district shall comply with the following provisions:
1. Building Heights: No building shall be less than one hundred feet (100'). There is no maximum building height, subject to standards contained in Subsections 21A.30.020.D.2 through D.3.
2. Exceptions to the minimum height requirements are as follows:
a. Utility Buildings necessary to provide electricity, water, sewer, storm water, and other necessary utility services to the downtown area.
b. Accessory building and structures, including accessory buildings that serve public transportation, downtown improvement districts, and other public maintenance buildings.
c. Buildings on lots or parcels that are less than five thousand (5,000) square feet in size.
d. Buildings with a footprint of less than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet.
e. Building approved through the design review process in Chapter 21A.59.
3. Buildings in excess of one hundred feet (100'), are allowed subject to the following standard:
a. A minimum stepback of five feet (5') or other architectural feature that can deflect snow and ice from falling directly onto a sidewalk, midblock walkway, or other public space. The stepback may be located above the height of the first floor and below one hundred fifty feet (150') in height above the sidewalk or public space. Buildings that are not clad in glass are exempt from this requirement.
4. Buildings in excess of two hundred feet (200') with no limit and subject to Chapter 21A.59, Design Review, shall include at least one of the following five options:
a. Midblock walkway is provided on the property and the midblock walkway connects to an existing or planned street, midblock walkway, or publicly accessible public space and exceeds all the required dimensions of Subsection 21A.30.010.G by at least five feet (5'). This option allows for additional height in return for exceeding the midblock walkway requirements; or
b. The building is utilizing affordable housing incentives identified in Chapter 21A.52 of this title; or
c. The property where the building is located exceeds the minimum requirement for ground floor uses identified in chapter 21A.37 (Design Standards) of this title, specifically:
(1) For Subsection 21A.37.050.A.1 (Design Standards Defined, Ground Floor Use Only), the requirement must be increased to one hundred percent (100%). This option requires that the entire ground floor use of a building consists of retail good establishments, retail service establishments or restaurants, public service portions of businesses, department stores, art galleries, motion picture theaters, performing art facilities or similar uses that encourages walk-in traffic through an active use. Vehicle entry and exit ways necessary for access to parking are exempt from this requirement; or
(2) For Subsection 21A.37.050.A.2 (Design Standards Defined, Ground Floor Use and Visual Interest), the ground floor use requirement must be increased to eighty five percent (85%) and the visual interest requirement must be increased to fifteen percent (15%). This option requires an increased percentage of ground floor space to be used for an active use, and an increased percentage of the building to provide visual interest;
d. The applicant provides a restrictive covenant on a historic building, a building that is fifty (50) years or older, or a building that is a nationally recognized property, located outside of the H Historic Preservation Overlay District for the purpose of preserving the structure for a minimum of fifty (50) years.
e. The proposal includes a privately owned, publicly accessible open space on the property or on another property within the geographic boundaries of the Downtown Plan. To qualify for this provision, a restrictive covenant in the favor of the city shall be recorded against the open space portion of the property. The space shall be a minimum of five hundred (500) square feet and include enough trees to provide a shade canopy that covers at least sixty percent (60%) of the open space area. This option allows for additional height in return for the designation of open public open space.
E. Special Controls Over the Main Street Retail Core:
1. Intent: Special controls shall apply to land located within the Main Street retail core area to preserve and enhance the viability of retail uses within the downtown area. The regulations of this subsection shall be in addition to the requirements of Subsections C and D of this section.
2. Area of Applicability: The controls established in this subsection shall apply to property developed or redeveloped after April 12, 1995, when located along any block face on the following streets:
a. Main Street located within the D-1 District;
b. 100 South Street between West Temple Street and State Street;
c. 200 South Street between West Temple Street and State Street; and
d. 300 South Street between West Temple Street and State Street.
3. First Floor Retail Required: The first floor space of all buildings within this area shall be required to provide uses consisting of retail goods establishments, retail service establishments or restaurants, public service portions of businesses, department stores, art galleries, motion picture theaters or performing arts facilities.
4. Restrictions on Driveways: Driveways shall not be permitted along Main Street, but shall be permitted along other streets within the Main Street retail core area, provided they are located at least eighty feet (80') from the intersection of two street right of way lines. (Ord. 12-24, 2024: Ord. 24B-23, 2023: Ord. 24- 23, 2023: Ord. 67-22, 2022: Ord. 14-19, 2019: Ord. 12-17, 2017: Ord. 66-13, 2013: Ord. 62-13, 2013: Ord. 15-13, 2013)