Planning staff briefed the council Nov. 18 on a proposed amendment to Plan Salt Lake that would add Chapter 14, a water-conservation and land-use element required by Utah state code. The chapter is intended to align the city's general plan with the state's 2022 Water Conservation and Land Use Planning Plan and to codify actions the city will take on water resilience.

Staff said the amendment addresses six components required by state statute: updating the water supply and demand plan on a five-year cycle (or sooner after major changes); methods to reduce per-capita water consumption through consistent land-use designations and by identifying high-consumption land uses; strategies to reduce water use in city operations (parks, irrigation and facilities); incorporation of regional water conservation goals; cross-reference to the city
s updated water conservation plan; and policies for sustainable landscaping.

Why it matters: city utilities staff noted that Salt Lake City has reached state conservation goals decades in advance and that the amendment will formalize practices already underway while creating an institutional process to update plans and track changes in supply and demand. The chapter would strengthen coordination between public utilities and planning staff and allow the city to pursue incentives and rebate programs to encourage lower outdoor water use.

Council discussion and questions: Members asked whether the plan could promote smart irrigation controllers, how multifamily and institutional customers would be engaged, and whether the city could quantify a specific annual contribution to the Great Salt Lake. Staff said Central Utah Water Conservancy District offers rebates on EPA WaterSense-labeled smart controllers and that a five-year communications strategy is planned to increase uptake. On measuring contributions to the Great Salt Lake, staff said statute does not yet direct that accounting and measurement is technically complex; they plan further coordination with basin partners and the State Department of Natural Resources.

Next steps: staff said the water conservation plan update will be briefed next week and that additional public feedback and plan amendments will follow. The proposed Chapter 14 would be adopted to meet the statutory deadline and to institutionalize water-conservation and measurement practices.