Latest news with #SaltLakeCityCouncil
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City considers raising costs of metered parking, minimizing free time
SALT LAKE CITY () — Parking in downtown Salt Lake City may start making a bigger dent in your wallet. As part of the city budget for the 2026 fiscal year, the Salt Lake City Council is considering changing the hourly rates for metered parking throughout the city, as well as the collection days and hours. Currently, metered parking is available at just $2.25 an hour. The city collects this fee between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturday, the parking is free for two hours, while on Sunday, parking is free for the whole day. Carp chaos at Utah Lake as carp overpopulation becomes serious problem Under the proposed changes, the hourly rate for metered parking would rise to $3.50 an hour. The proposal would also take away the two free hours on Saturday and extend the collection hours from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Sunday would keep its free parking. The Salt Lake City Council will next meet on Tuesday, June 10, at 1 p.m. for a work session, where the calendar includes considering unresolved issues. A formal City Council meeting will be held at 7 p.m., where council members will consider adopting the proposed budget. Escape today to OUTRIGGER Ka'anapali Beach Resort Jeffries declines to embrace Musk amid the billionaire's feud with Trump Salt Lake City Mission hosting pickleball event to help kids, change lives Elevate your outdoor adventure with the 2025 Forest River Rockwood Roo 17E Trump administration faces growing bipartisan pressure over Job Corps Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How this small library fills a big need for a Salt Lake City neighborhood
Eight main or branch library locations are strategically scattered throughout Salt Lake City, but city leaders were well aware the map left a 'big hole' in and around the Ballpark neighborhood. In fact, District 5, including parts of the Central Ninth, East Liberty and Liberty Wells neighborhoods, was the only Salt Lake City Council district without a public library. That is no longer the case. A group of Ballpark community leaders and residents applauded as city leaders cut a ribbon to open the Ballpark Library Lab, located at 1406 S. West Temple, before the group piled into the building to explore its offerings. 'This is really a dream come true,' said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, adding that it's also a temporary space before a permanent solution is found. Salt Lake City's newest library is about five years in the making. After hearing from residents and spotting the gap, the mayor said she pushed Salt Lake City Public Library officials to 'get something going' in the Ballpark neighborhood. Some in the neighborhood have wanted a library for at least a decade, said Amy Hawkins, chairwoman of the Ballpark Community Council. A future library branch somewhere in the neighborhood is included in the Ballpark Station Area Plan, which the city first released in 2021 to revitalize the neighborhood around Smith's Ballpark. The library system purchased a duplex and a neighboring home about a block south of the ballpark for $1.1 million as the plan was being finalized, setting up a potential site for a permanent library. Then, the city's vision hit a snag. Its plans revolved around the Salt Lake Bees, but that changed when the team relocated to a new stadium in South Jordan. Smith's Ballpark will undergo an adaptive reuse, Mendenhall announced earlier this year. However, it could still be years before a permanent library is constructed and ready to open, so the library system decided to turn the duplex into its first-ever library lab while the neighborhood's future is sorted out. About another $600,000 was invested in building repairs and retrofitting to prepare it for Friday's opening, while the other building is being rented out as affordable housing in coordination with the Salt Lake City Housing Authority. The Ballpark Library Lab isn't like the other city libraries. It has no regular operating hours, but it will be open during events hosted inside it. People can reserve the building from noon to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. That could change depending on how the lab is used, said Salt Lake City Public Library CEO Noah Baskett. 'This is an experiment in bringing library services that are grounded in community engagement and feedback,' he said. Some events and classes are already planned, including children's reading events, language learning courses and after-school activities, said Xris Macias, the lab's manager. It could also host community events not planned by library staff, while an outside patio will also offer WiFi to patrons even when the building is closed. While some books and movies are available inside, it'll eventually become the city's first '24/7 library' where patrons can pick up items they have placed on hold from the library's vast collection at any time. A locker where people can pick up these items will be installed once it arrives, which is yet to be determined at this point, but a book return bin has already been installed. 'Unfortunately, with some shipping concerns, it's probably at least a couple of months out,' Macias told 'In the meantime, we'll be having holds within (the building) and book drops already available.' To top it off, library officials commissioned Caro Nilsson, a local artist, to wrap the building with a bee-themed mural, which has a double meaning. It gives bees a new Ballpark home following the departure of the baseball team while also paying homage to the Salt Lake City Public Library's mascot. A few baseball themes can be found inside the building, as well, as a nod to the neighborhood's history. Hawkins was among the new library's first patrons, quickly checking out a book to read on Friday. 'This is thrilling ... It's a really, really big deal,' she said, explaining that it can be 'challenging' at times for families in the neighborhood to access library resources in other parts of the city, especially for people without a car. Mendenhall believes the new library has become more important since the Bees left. It will provide a community gathering spot after the neighborhood lost its biggest one. It's a place where kids can learn and play while families have access to resources without needing to purchase a ticket. A new lab is part of that goal, but the city's Ballpark Next project could include a permanent library, moving it closer to the corner of 1300 South and West Temple, as compared to the land the library owns. It's still 'too early in the design framework' to indicate if that's the case, the mayor added. An update to the city's interim ballpark plans is expected in June. Residents are hopeful that short-term and long-term plans, like the lab, can help rejuvenate the area. 'I think there's no sprint to establishing the new use as long as we get a really good intermediate use (and) activation for the space,' Hawkins said.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested after police say he threatened Salt Lake City mayor after city's flag change
A Farmington man was arrested Tuesday after police say he made online threats against Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and then showed up at Salt Lake City Hall after being questioned about it. Jason Guy Rogers, 44, was arrested for investigation of electronic communication harassment and stalking, per a jail report. He was booked into the Davis County Jail but has since been released, according to jail records. 'The mayor's office is monitoring the situation and appreciates the swift and professional investigation by the Salt Lake City and Farmington police departments,' Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, said in a statement to The investigation began shortly after May 6, when Mendenhall proposed three new city flag designs to bypass a new state law that directs which types of flags government entities can fly. The new flags use the sego lily from the primary city flag on new flags representing the LGBTQ communities and Juneteenth celebrations. Members of the Salt Lake City Council quickly adopted the measure, codifying the change on the eve of HB77 going into law, which would have otherwise barred the city from flying all three flags. Salt Lake City police began a 'coordinated investigation' with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, Farmington Police Department, Davis County District Attorney's Office and Statewide Information and Analysis Center after coming across 'alleged threats' made against Mendenhall, said Brent Weisberg, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Police Department. The posts, which were first made on the social media platform X on May 9, were sent by an account traced back to Rogers, Farmington police wrote in an affidavit. 'When you see her and her family, end them immediately. Utah will rise up,' one of the posts read, along with a blood drop and a face with crossed-out eyes emojis. Other posts also referenced threats, police wrote in the report. While the mayor last posted on X in December, police said she still has 'direct access to see' messages on the account. The police report says a Farmington officer contacted Rogers on Tuesday, and Rogers said he 'did make comments about being upset over the changing of the flag proposal.' 'However, he denied making any comments that would indicate he threatened anybody. He told me he believed his account must have been 'hacked' when those specific comments were made,' the report states. An hour later, the account linked to Rogers responded 'time for action' to another post from the mayor's account, the report states. Farmington police said that they were informed a truck identified as Rogers' vehicle through a license plate-reader system had pulled up to the mayor's 'place of work.' The driver attempted to enter the building through its locked side doors before trying to enter through the main entrance. 'Security personnel made eye contact with (the man) from inside; (he) turned around and walked to his truck. He then drove from the area,' the report stated. The Salt Lake City Mayor's Office confirmed to that the man was spotted by Salt Lake City police and by city security staff, both of whom are stationed at the Salt Lake City-County Building. Officials said the incident occurred before the Salt Lake City Council convened Tuesday afternoon for meetings often attended by the mayor. Salt Lake City's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located Rogers and arrested him shortly after, Weisberg said. He was transferred to Farmington police, who booked him into Davis County Jail. 'We're grateful to our officers, detectives, victim advocates and law enforcement partners for their support and collaboration as this case developed,' he said in a statement, adding that the incident remains under investigation. Wittenberg said the mayor's office will not release 'any additional information' about the case 'out of respect for the investigative and judicial processes.' It wasn't immediately clear if Rogers had obtained legal representation.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Utah man arrested for allegedly stalking, harassing Salt Lake mayor over pride-themed city flag designs
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. SALT LAKE CITY () — A Farmington man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly threatening the mayor of Salt Lake City over to circumvent a recent ban on '.' Jason Guy Rogers, 44, was arrested on one count of electronic communication harassment, a class B misdemeanor; and one count of stalking, a class A misdemeanor. He is accused of threatening Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall on social media and physically showing up at her place of work. On May 6, the 'to help everyone feel they belong.' According to arrest documents, Rogers posted on social media several times on May 9 — a few days after the flags were approved by the council — and made comments 'in reference to the proposal.' PREVIOUSLY — SLC council unanimously pass Pride, Juneteenth themed city flags ahead of state flag ban While Mayor Mendenhall was not named as the victim in the affidavit of probable cause, documents say the suspect reportedly commented on the victim's 'elected official page,' with one comment saying the following: 'When you see a mendenhall. End there life immediately.' Another comment reportedly read, 'When you see her and her family end them immediately. Utah will rise up,' documents said. The Salt Lake City Police Department was notified of the comments and determined that the account belonged to Rogers, who lives in Farmington. The investigation was then turned over to Farmington police. The arresting officer made contact with Rogers on May 20 and questioned him about his comments on social media. The suspect allegedly admitted to making comments about the changing flags but 'denied making any comments that would indicate he threatened anybody,' documents said. 'He told me he believed his account must have been 'hacked' when those specific comments were made,' the officer wrote in the affidavit. After speaking with officers on May 20, Rogers allegedly posted more comments on social media and said, 'Time for action.' About an hour after making that comment, documents say Rogers had shown up at 'the victim's place of work.' 'Security personnel observed [Rogers] pull his truck into the parking lot and then approach the building on foot,' documents said. '[He] then walks around the building with his phone out.' Documents say Rogers attempted to enter the building through some side doors that were locked. He was reportedly about to enter the building through the front but then 'made eye contact' with security personnel, who were aware of his comments and 'were on the look out.' After making eye contact with security, Rogers then drove away from the building. Officials said he 'made death threats to the victim' and 'showed actions and behavior to back up his threats.' Rogers was booked into the Davis County Jail on the aforementioned charges. The Salt Lake City Council approved the new designs on May 6 — one day before went into effect. The bill prohibits 'certain flags' from being displayed in schools and on government property. The bill's that the bill 'would ban Pride flags […] from schools.' Other political flags are also not allowed, but country, state, city, and military flags are among the approved designs. In response, the Salt Lake City Council proposed and unanimously approved new designs for the city flag to 'accurately reflect the values of the City and its residents.' The flags will be flown alongside the Utah and United States flags, and the city's original flag design is still in effect. 'In all three flags, the sego lily in the upper corner of these designs is the City's most recognized emblem, clearly identifying that each flag is representative of Salt Lake City specifically,' Mendenhall's office said on May 6. The new designs are called the Sego Celebration Flag to represent the history of Juneteenth, the Sego Belonging Flag to represent the city's LGBTQIA+ residents, and the Sego Visibility Flag to represent transgender people. 'While the state has restricted which flags public buildings can fly, I'm glad we can still uphold our community's values within the law,' Salt Lake City Council Chair Chris Wharton previously said. Utah man arrested for allegedly stalking, harassing Salt Lake mayor over pride-themed city flag designs Revive your feet with some TLC from SandBar Draper police investigating 'urban explorers' who climbed 16-story structure at aquarium after hours Zeldin slams Whitehouse in heated exchange: Americans 'put President Trump in office because of people like you' Trump confronts South African president over claims of 'white genocide' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City close to annexing more land after hitting unexpected snag
Utah's capital city is on the verge of growing its boundary after the Jordan River created an unexpected hurdle in a process years in the making. Salt Lake City Council members informally voted last week to advance a plan to annex hundreds of acres of an unincorporated section of northwestern Salt Lake County at the center of ongoing warehouse development. Their plan would switch parcels to the newly created M-1A zoning, while others would remain under an agricultural form of zoning called AG-2, depending on their preference, once the annexation is complete. That measure was requested because residents remain split between wanting to stick to agriculture and the area's old ways, and wanting to move forward with zoning in place to handle the development that shows no signs of stopping, said Salt Lake City Councilwoman Victoria Petro, whose district includes the area that would be added to the city. A final vote on the plan could take place as early as next week. Salt Lake City initiated the annexation process a little over a year ago, seeking to add portions of unincorporated land near 2200 West in the Northpoint community. That was after the city adopted a new Northpoint Small Area Plan in 2023 in response to growth in the area, spurred by the construction of massive warehouses and the impact it has had on residents. However, adding Northpoint residents to the city hit a snag later in 2024 after city staff found that the Salt Lake and Davis counties' boundary was 'no longer consistent with what was on file,' according to a memo filed with the Salt Lake City Council. 'That was based on the Jordan River having some movement over the course of the last few decades,' said Nick Tarbet, deputy director of legislative and policy for the City Council. 'City staff was able to clean those up with the county, and we're now at a process where the county can consider moving forward with the annexation.' A formal vote is tentatively scheduled to take place on May 20 before the request is filed with the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office for final approval. Salt Lake City had previously created a Northpoint Small Area Plan, but it had not been updated since 2000, until the changes were made two years ago. While the section near the airport retains most of the city's remaining agricultural land, the update was sparked in 2021 as more commercial development began to creep into the area. Denise Payne was one of many residents who came to the city frustrated by the construction of a 1 million-square-foot warehouse that was permitted because there weren't many zoning limitations in the previous plan. '(Construction vehicles) shake our homes every day,' she told city leaders in 2023. 'We can't live there. Our quality of life is gone.' The plan introduced the M-1A for the area, which sets standards aimed at protecting the area's residents and ecosystem. It sought to answer the 'complex' challenges facing the area, Petro explained later that year. 'This is possibly the most difficult part of our city to deal with, at the moment,' she said at the time, pointing to a handful of environmental and 'logistical' concerns. Meanwhile, development interest hasn't calmed down in the area. Tarbet said last week that developers have already met with planning experts to get initial feedback on the new M1-A zone, which means he doesn't think it will take long before the area undergoes further changes in the future. 'There will be construction very quickly,' he said.
