Author Archives: Fairpark Community

Utah Legislature Action Show Challenges to Utah Fairpark Future

As the Utah State Legislature passed the half-way mark for this year’s legislative session, the future of the Utah State Fairpark remains unresolved. A subcommittee fails to recommend that the State implement a 50-year lease as authorized in 2010. Another subcommittee considers requiring that private developers and State agencies be given the opportunity to express interest in developing the
White Ball Field.

At stake is an agreement between the Utah State Fair, Inc. and the REAL Salt Lake major-league soccer to team to construct an 8,000-seat stadium to house a new minor league soccer team, the Real Salt Lake Monarchs, at the Utah State Fairpark. The REAL Salt Lake will cover the projected $18 million cost of the new stadium.

But this agreement is contingent on several factors: First, the soccer franchise wants a lease of at least 40 years. Second, the lease must be in place by April 23, anticipating the 2017 soccer season. Finally, there is the question of the availability of the White Ball Field, the vacant property across North Temple to the south of the Fairpark, for parking.

A 40-year lease for the soccer team is impossible unless the lease the Utah State Fair, Inc. has with the State for the use of the Fairpark is extended for at least 40 years. In recent years, the nonprofit corporation has operated with much shorter leases with the State. Its current lease expires 2017. The Utah State Fair, Inc. is also approaching the Legislature for $675,000 for ongoing maintenance and improvement of Utah State Fairpark property and $100,000 to conduct a study on the best ways to enlarge the Fairpark’s rodeo grandstand.

To-date, the Utah State Fair experienced a set-back with the failure of the Natural Resources, Agriculture, Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee toendorse a motion to require the State to sign a 50-year lease for the Fairpark, as was authorized by the Legislature in 2010.

Another complicating factor is that, several years ago, the lease for the use of the White Ball Field for parking was separated from the lease for the Fairpark property. In the current arrangement, the State can assume direct control of the White Ball Field with just a 30-day notice.

As a result, a new challenge to the Utah State Fair/ REAL Salt Lake deal is that members of the Legislative appropriations subcommittee, Infrastructure and General
Government, have expressed concern with leasing the White Ball Field to the Utah State Fair, Inc. for parking without opening up a “Request for Information” process for others, including the State of Utah, to state an interest in using the property for other purposes. For example, in last year’s study on possible future uses of the White Ball Field and the Utah Fairpark, the State’s need for more office
space was identified as a possible use for the property. According to State administrators, this process will take three to five months, a time-frame that extends well beyond the April 23rd agreement with the Utah State Fair, Inc.

This year’s session of the Utah Legislature ends at midnight on March 12th. No issue is closed until this day. In the discussions in the Legislative subcommittees, the support of the communities surrounding the Utah Fairpark has been
continually mentioned. It is important that the Fairpark Community continues to express its hopes for the future of the Fairpark.

To keep up-to-date on the status of Utah Fairpark issues in the Legislature and what actions residents can take to support a successful future for the Fairpark, visit fairparkcommunity.org.

29th Ward House Future Remains On Hold

Will Proposed Changes to Zoning Ordinances Increase Potential Construction Density of Historic Property? At the Fairpark Community Council’s December Meeting, the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development Division provided some information on its request to rezone the property at 1102 West 400 North, the old, vacant, 29th LDS Ward House from low-density residential (R-1/7000) to higher density mixed residential and commercial use (R-MU-35). The property is owned by the City.

In the presentation, division director, Mike Ackerlow, explained that the rezoning request was to allow the City to secure resources to rehabilitate the 100-year old church so that it could be used for housing or some sort public or private commercial use. The City also wants build housing; i.e., small houses or apartment/condo units on other sections of the .80 acre property. Comment from residents at
the meeting would be used to help develop the final plans for the property that the division hoped to present to the Community Council in January.

In January, the Planning Division contacted the Fairpark CC to explain the City needed more time to final its plans.

Then, interestingly, at its January 28th meeting the Salt Lake City Planning Commission approved changes to the R-MU-35 zoning designation that allows greater building density by, among other things, decreasing the minimum
size for lots and decreasing minimal “set-backs” from lot boundary-lines.

The proposed changes to the R-MU-35 zoning designation still have to be approved by the City Council before they can go into effect. Whether the City is waiting for
the amended zoning designation before finalizing its plans remains to be seen. Regardless, the issue facing the Fairpark Community Council is whether it will support rezoning proposal for the 29th Ward property as the City’s petition goes before the Planning Commission and, ultimately, the City Council.

For more information visit fairparkcommunity.org

Dirt2Table: Siberian Elms

So, its the middle of February, still a couple of more months until the ground can be worked, and the early crops seeded. Right? Well, maybe not this year. I tilled up a small area last
weekend, and this weekend, on the Fifteenth, I will be planting peas, salad greens and
onions. On February 15th!!!
In addition to being able to plant some seeds this early, I have noticed the trees waking up
early too. This might turn out bad for our fruit trees, if we get a late frost when they are in bloom or after they have set fruit. We can only hope for the best and wait to see.
Speaking of trees, Siberian Elms come to mind. This is a fast growing tree that a lot of folks around here call a Chinese Elm. You know, it comes up from the seeds in the spring like gang busters. The trees can be seen all over our neighborhood in the early spring covered in bright green seed clusters long before any leaves have come out. Although I am not too fond of all those little trees all over
my yard every year I have learned to look forward to that time when the seed clusters are still bright green, before they turn brown, fall off the tree and blow into my garden. That is because those seed clusters, called Samaras, are some ofthe best salad greens I have ever had. I strongly recommend that everyone take the time to collect a few handfuls of these Samaras from the trees in our community. If you don’t have one in your yard, you can ask your neighbor if you can have some of theirs, or just go for a walk along the River Parkway Trail, since at
least half of the big trees along there are Siberian Elms. Look for a small tree or
a low hanging branch that you can pick some of these tasty greens off of. You
won’t be sorry you did, they are delicious.
Read more about eating Samaras at My Urban Homestead website:

Education Corner: West High School

The editors of The Gazette would like to learn more about the history of schools in our community. If you have any materials such as yearbooks, news articles, photos or other information to share, please contact us at: info@fairparkcommunity.org
This month’s featured school is West High School, “Home of the Panthers,” which is located at 241 North 300 West in Salt Lake City. West is the high school that serves students in grades 9-12 in the Fairpark community.
West was the first high school in Utah, originally known as Salt Lake High
School. According to the West High website, “West has been a Salt Lake
City School District high school since 1890, and was the #1 high school in
the State of Utah and #167 (2007) and #169 (2008) in the Nation according to Newsweek Magazine. West High School is the home to 18 National Merit Scholarship 2012 Semi-Finalists – the most in the entire State of Utah! We have more than any other public school in the State.”

West is an urban school that serves a very diverse community. There is a concentrated partnership between the community and the school so that all stakeholders in the school community are involved, which better serves the students in their education. Academically, “West offers over 200 courses ranging from remedial courses to vocational and college level academics, including the prestigious Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, designed for serious academic students.”
West also has a comprehensive sports program, that has a long history. “Participation in a sport is one of the major vehicles by which young men and women can learn to experience healthy fun and, at the same time, develop their full
potential as individuals. Students develop not only greater physical skill but also skills in teamwork, integrity, judgment, responsibility, leadership, self-discipline, and respect for rules and authority that benefits both themselves and their
teams. Winning isn’t everything, honor is. It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up. Play with heart, win with class, and lose with dignity.”
You can learn more about West High School at its website:

http://west.slcschools.org.

Breaking: Deal Signed between REAL and State Fairpark Board of Directors

Today the Utah State Fairpark Board of Directors signed an agreement with the REAL Salt Lake ownder Dell Loy Hansen to build an $18 million, 8,000 seat stadium at the Utah State Fairpark.

Hansen has agreed to pay the entire cost of the stadium’s construction after initially proposing to form a public-private praetorship to build the stadium. Per terms of the agreement, the minor league Real Monarchs will operate and maintain the new stadium. The deal is contingent on the state extending the Fairpark’s lease— which expires in 2017 — on the state fairgrounds site for an additional 40 years.

Read the article here.

Dirt2Table: Succession Planting

It isn’t quite time to start seedlings, so the only gardening activity we can engage in is planning our gardens for next year. I came across an interesting article about succession planting. The idea is to plant your garden in a sequence so that you get a variety of crops that you can use throughout the growing season. Planning the sequence can help you avoid having all your garden produce being ready at the same time.

For instance, rather than planting all the carrots, beets, lettuce and onions you have room for first thing, you could plant about a fourth of what you think you want to grow of each type of crop, then wait two weeks and plant another fourth, and so on. That way you will have your crops in succession, rather than having all of them ready to pick at the same time

Most of us grow tomatoes in a form of succession planting already. We plant the big beefsteak types at the same time as the cherry tomatoes and small early ripening types. That way we start getting some fresh tomatoes as early as June from the cherry type and continue to get the different types ripe as the year goes on. Here is a good link with a lot of information about succession planting and permaculture:

https://www.openpermaculture.com/magazine/four-types-succession-planting.

Contact Tom King for more information.

Sandra Hollins: Our Rep in the House

The Fairpark Community is looking forward to the upcoming session (it starts on January 26^th) of the Utah State Legislature with one of our neighbors, Sandra Hollins, taking her seat as our representative, for District 23, in the Utah House of Representatives.

Sandra, and her husband David, have been long-time stalwarts in the Fairpark Community, and adjoining neighborhoods. We are used to seeing both of them at our Fairpark Community Council meetings, with David being a member of the Council’s Board. In fact, we’re used to seeing both of them at many community events.

Utah made a bit of history with Sandra’s election as the first Black-American woman elected to the Utah State Legislature. In fact, she is just the third Black- American to hold a legislative seat (her predecessors are Terry Williams, elected in the 1980s and Duane Bordeaux in the 2000s).

Sandra is going to be a vibrant, effective voice for our community. She is a clinical social worker who is the manager of the Volunteers of America’s homeless outreach program. Sandra and her team travel in a van to homeless camp sites throughout the valley, providing food and other basic services and working with individuals to access services to end their homelessness.

As Sandra assumes this new role as our community’s representative in the Utah House of Representatives, she wants to hear from her neighbors. She is committed to attending as many Fairpark Community Council meetings as possible (she is planning to be at our meeting on January 22^nd). Her email in the legislature is shollins@le.utah.gov. Her home phone is 801-363-4257.

In her first term, Sandra has been appointed to the House Health and Human Services and House Law Enforcement and Criminal Law Standing Committees (which considers proposed legislation) and the Joint Social Services Appropriations Committee (which votes on appropriations).

Coalition Seeks City Commitment to Affordable Housing

The Salt Lake Valley is facing a crisis in the availability of affordable housing. There is abundant construction of apartments and condos, but limited construction of housing affordable to individuals and families with limited income.

In recognition of this situation, Salt Lake City’s long-time low-income service and advocacy organization, Crossroads Urban Center, is sponsoring the Low-income Housing Action Coalition- a coalition comprised of local community agencies and church congregations.

Tim Funk, spokesman for the Coalition, states that the group isn’t presenting any sort of new idea. “These approaches to meeting the housing needs of low-income people have been with us for decades. The idea is to not segregate low-income families into specific areas of a city; but to make affordable housing a part of all new housing construction.”

Funk notes that Salt Lake City is in an apartment-building frenzy. Over the past several years hundreds of market rate units have been built and hundreds more are under construction or are planned. While this a good thing for our city in general it does nothing for our poor and near poor individuals and families.

Funk states that Salt Lake City is in a low income housing crisis. According to the 2013 Housing Market Study commissioned by the city there is a shortage of 8,240 affordable rental units for households with incomes below $20,000 a year. The city study says, “More than one third – 35 percent – of the city’s renter households earn less than $20,000 per year. Just 13 percent of the rentals in the city are in their affordability range.

It is the position of the Coalition that, while Salt Lake City has aggressive plans for new housing, especially along developing transit corridors (think North Temple), the City has made little commitment to ensuring that a portion of this housing is affordable to low-income families.

Funk acknowledges that many neighborhoods, especially those on the westside, shudder when the term “low-income” is spoken; “we’re not talking about creating enclaves for the poor; we’re talking about ensuring that a percentage, say 20%, of the housing in the City’s new “Transit Areas” be affordable to low-income families.”

“Where will your elderly parents live?” asks Funk. “Where will your grown children live?” Without a commitment to ensure the inclusion of affordable housing in new housing construction, they won’t be living close to you.”

Tim Funk will be making a presentation to the Fairpark Community at its Thursday, January 22^nd meeting.

Fairpark Changes: A Resident Speaks Out

As a long-time resident of the Fairpark area, I have been asked many times why I would even want to live in “such an area”. The West side of SLC for years has been a less desirable address in the eyes of some people. However, it seems things are changing, and property in this area has shown a new interest. Just as other areas, such as the Marmalade District, have seen a resurgence of development, so, too, our area is on the cusp of development.

The type of development in our area is something with which the current residents should be concerned. It is one of the last near-downtown areas of the Valley that still has affordable homes and larger residential lots. We enjoy spending time in our yards and gardens and feeling that we are still close to the attractions of Salt Lake City such as arts, education, and civic events. However, changes are happening all around us. You only need to look at what has happened near the intersection of North Temple and 600 West. Hundreds of apartments and Condominiums have gone up, forcing out the few homes that used to exist there. It seems that when there is any land available near us, a developer wants to put in as many people as possible.

We have been fortunate that current Zoning laws in the Greater Fairpark area have kept this development restricted, and we can still enjoy our homes and neighborhoods. However, development is starting to spread its gaze here. Currently, the old 29^th Ward church building on the corner of 400 North and 1100 West has stood vacant for many years. The LDS Church could not find a reasonable, affordable use for the building and deeded it to the City. Recently, the city Housing and Development agency held some meetings concerning the disposal of this property. It is listed as a City Historical Site, so there are limits as to what I can be used for. The Agency floated the concept of changing the Zoning on that parcel to make it more attractive for a buyer. This is a dangerous step, as once the Zoning has changed, (in this case, to a mixed-use residential and commercial use), anything that fits that zoning description could be built. The emphasis of the agency representatives seemed to be turning it into multi-family residences. The lot is so small that to make it cost effective, the homes would be multi-level and very small square footage (sound like high-density apartments?)

The general feeling of the residents attending the meeting was that other possibilities ought to be explored WITHOUT changing the zoning. There are certain variances that can be taken in using a Historic Building that would not require changing the zoning. Among those, using the building for a Professional Office, Arts Organization, Charter School, or something similar. The location is close enough to Downtown or I-15 to make it convenient for this type of use.

Why should we be concerned about it? Because once it is gone, it can’t be replaced. (Isn’t that the argument used by those who want Wilderness Areas and National Parks?) We live in a community that was built with families in mind, and for people who have long-term plans to stay in their homes here. There is nothing inherently wrong with rental units, but studies show that those who own and reside in their own homes have a greater interest in their communities and are more willing to work for the better good of the area. We must do all we can to preserve the quiet neighborhood we now enjoy.

It is important for any of us who have such long-term plans and a desire to
keep our community “livable” to show interest in what is happening around us, and to become involved in any plans for the future. Before it is too late, let your voice be heard and let the City officials and developers know that this is a NICE neighborhood, and we want it to stay that way.

Roy Luker, Fairpark resident

Fairpark Future Poised for Legislature Action

This last year, Fairpark Community residents played a significant role in a study on the possible future of the Utah State Fairpark. What was the best use for this property? Should it be offices or other commercial development? Or should the State invest in upgrading the existing fair grounds to create a successful venue for the Utah State Fair and other events?

As the study progressed, what did become evident to residents was that, regardless of the study’s final recommendations, the final decisions on the future of the Utah State Fairpark rest with the Utah State Legislature.

Michael Steele, executive director of the Utah State Fair, states that the future of the Fair, and the Utah Fairpark, are on the table for Legislative action this year.

Steele reports that the proposed agreement for the REAL Salt Lake to build a soccer stadium, costing between $23 and $24 million, on the Fairpark property is moving ahead, with an agreement of “terms” being brought before the Utah State Fair Board of Directors for a vote this week.

Steele emphasizes that the new stadium will not require any tax-payer money.

But what will it require?

Steele states that the Utah Legislature should return the White Ball Field to the Fair’s lease with the State. “REAL Salt Lake cannot consider building a soccer stadium in the Fairpark without the parking space offered by the White Ball Field across North Temple from the Fairpark.”

But the lease is much bigger – for years, the Utah Legislature has limited the State’s lease with the Utah Fair to one or two years. For REAL Salt Lake to make a long-term commitment, “We need to have a 40 year lease with the State.”

The Utah State Fair is also approaching the Legislature for its long-time $675,000 allocation to cover the Fair’s ongoing expenses. “This represents less than 20% of our operating budget; most of our funding comes from the State Fair and other events here at the Fairpark.”

Any other plans? Steele states that they are also approaching the Legislature to fund a study and development of an initial design to expand, and complete, the Fairpark’s rodeo stadium. “In the last several years, we have two master-plan studies that state the completion of the rodeo grounds as being instrumental to the future of the Fairpark. We need to move ahead on this.”