Salt Lake City hearing takes variance request over artificial turf under advisement

Administrative Hearing Officer Clayton Preece heard a variance request on whether artificial turf may remain at 1363 South 1300 East during a Salt Lake City administrative hearing. The applicant, Richard Holm, asked for relief from Salt Lake City Code Section 21A.48.080(b)(4), which the city interprets to prohibit artificial turf in front and corner side yards.

The issue matters because the applicant says steep slopes on the property make maintaining live turf hazardous and that engineered artificial turf provides safer, lower-maintenance groundcover. Clayton Preece clarified the scope of the proceeding at the start: "This hearing today is just on the variance. This is not an appeal of any kind of code enforcement or other action with regards to removing the artificial turf." The city’s planning staff and the applicant each presented their positions, and Preece said he would issue a written decision within about 10 business days.

Richard Holm, the property owner,…