Planning commission backs split RMF‑35/RMF‑45 zoning approach; staff to send revised maps to City Council

The Salt Lake City Planning Commission on May 14 voted to recommend city council adoption of updated text and map amendments for the RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 multifamily residential districts, endorsing a split approach rather than consolidating the two zones.

Senior planner Aaron Barlow told the commission staff’s revised proposal preserves both RMF‑35 and RMF‑45, clarifies lot and unit bonus rules, and limits up‑zoning to properties already designated for higher intensity in adopted future‑land‑use maps. “This proposal is to update, the RMF 35 and RMF 45 multifamily residential districts,” Barlow said during his presentation.

Why it matters: the RMF‑35/45 update affects how the city regulates building form, lot sizes, open‑space requirements and building height for large parts of Salt Lake City. The changes aim to allow a wider range of “missing middle” housing types while protecting neighborhood character in areas where lower heights or local overlays apply.

Staff said the revised proposal came after commission direction to keep both the RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 districts and to focus up‑zoning only where future‑land‑use maps support it; staff also reported it assessed transit proximity, block…