Staff outlines proposal to merge RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 into a single form‑based multifamily zone; commissioners raise questions about scale and displacement risks

Salt Lake City planning staff presented a work‑session proposal to consolidate the RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 multifamily zones into a single form‑based residential multifamily (RMF) district and asked the Planning Commission for feedback.

Senior Planner Aaron Barlow and Principal Planner Katie Lynn Warr described the proposal’s goals: simplify the zoning code; promote “missing middle” housing types; introduce clear form‑based design standards for building forms such as urban houses (two‑unit configurations), cottage developments, row houses and multifamily buildings; and provide incentives to preserve existing structures. Staff said the project grew out of a broader effort to align multiple MU (mixed‑use) consolidation efforts and the mayor’s 2025 goal to clarify multifamily rules.

Key staff proposals presented - Consolidate RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 into one RMF district and adopt form‑based regulations. - Recalibrate lot‑area per unit rules to encourage moderate density (staff proposed 750 sq. ft. lot area per unit for most forms, 500 sq. ft. per unit for cottage developments). - Adopt design standards (porches/entries, fenestration, durable materials, building width caps and stepbacks adjacent to designated landmark sites). - Permit lots and buildings without street frontage under defined conditions and provide standards for mid‑block walkways. - Simplify parking to 1 on‑site space per dwelling unit (the same requirement for all unit sizes) to reduce parking as a barrier to family‑sized units. - Create incentives (density bonuses and a limited height bonus) for retaining existing housing and providing affordable units: multifamily buildings could reach 45 feet, with incentives allowing up to 55 feet for projects that meet…