NOVEMBER 30, 2020
JRI NEEDS MORE ATTENTION PUBLISHED
LEGISLATURE JRI DISCUSSIONS IGNORE COUNTY COSTS
STREETWORK DESTROYS NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS
SLC SRO PROPOSAL HURT S AFFORDABLE HOUSING
BALLPARK AREA PROJECT GETTING PUSHBACK
STATION CTR PLANS IGNORE PED/BICYCLE SAFETY
SLC COUNCIL DISCUSSES HOUSING IN 1 MEETING
EFFORT TO REPLACE NATURAL GAS WITH H2
SEARS BLOCK PLANS IGNORE 13TH S. WAREHOUSE
RESTROOMS IN PARKS LISTED
SLCPD DESPERATE FOR COPS CLOSES CIU OFFICE
OPPOSITION TO FOOTHILL LAMPLIGHTER SQUARE
900 S. S-LINE PROJECT APARTMENTS PROJECT
HAWTHORNE ELEM. PROPOSAL FOR TREES PUSHED
300 W. PROJECT WILL SLOW TRAFFIC TO 25MPH
ALMOST NO COMMENTS ON UTA BUDGET
UTA HIRED 169 DRIVERS IN 2019 FOR $2.1 MILLION
SLC SHOULD PUSH FREE PET LICENSES
WATER CONSERVATION PLAN INCREASES WATER
CROSSWALK LIGHTING NEEDED FOR PEDESTRIANS
UTAH IN LA-LA LAND WITH 3 MONTH TREATMENT

JRI NEEDS MORE ATTENTION PUBLISHED
  The Salt Lake Tribune published my commentary on the Justice Reinvestment Initiative this month (at https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2020/11/05/george-chapman-well/).  I pointed out that the U.S. Attorney was right to complain about criminals not being taken off the street for more than a few hours and many had been arrested dozens of times.  I also agreed with a previous oped that JRI needs a bigger budget since it is essentially an unfunded mandate on the counties.  I also agreed that the JRI effort made sense since drug users should not be in prison (the main objective of JRI).  But drug addicts that commit crimes everyday that they are on the street should be incarcerated and the system should be re-evaluated by the State to ensure that.
  One of the best legislators, in my opinion, is Rep. Hutchings who has been sponsoring the JRI bills and trying to fine tune the effort to make it effective.  Unfortunately, he has lost re-election.  He will be missed.  I can't think of anyone else who knew as much about justice reform in Utah.  He was considered so knowledgeable that he has testified in Washington DC about it.  Rep. Eliason did win re-election and he has been instrumental in pushing for better mental health funding and systems including MCOT, the mobile mental health team.  Rep. Dunnigan also won re-election and he has plans to sponsor a noise ordinance that will target those vehicle owners that remove their muffler systems.  Vehicle noise is not supposed to be over 85 db but many remove the mufflers and replace them with equipment that results in much louder noise.

JRI DISCUSSIONS AT LEGISLATURE IGNORE COUNTY COSTS

  Following on the JRI Audit, CCJJ (Utah's Committee on Criminal and Juvenile Justice) had a report that I questioned.  The CCJJ Report page 4 says: "county jail populations do not appear to have been negatively impacted by the JRI reforms, though more data is needed"!!!
  But the recent JRI Audit pointed out that Adult Probation and Parole is not able to provide appropriate services to the recently paroled.  Part is due to the indirect pressure to reduce bed use at the State Prison and it is also caused by the inability of Corrections to fully staff the beds that are supposed to be provided (mainly due to low salaries).  The Audit showed the result.  Too many violent criminals are being released with not enough supervision.
  That has resulted in the U.S. Attorney and other law enforcement and government prosecutors complaining about being inundated with criminals who have been committing many, many violent criminal actions.  The unfunded mandate put on the county jails and prosecutors from discouraging sentencing violent criminals to prison is a burden on local taxpayers and victims.  Many of these criminals should not be released and should be in prison.  
  Using a gun should result in prison no matter how hard APP argues against that. APP is actively discouraging sentencing violent criminals to prison.
  Again, I urge the Legislature to analyze and study the realistic need for Prison beds (which shouldn't affect the Point development - which can start now); what are the salary requirements to fully staff the Prison and what do counties need to help prosecute violent criminals and send them to Prison.  The Prison should also be available to provide extra beds for counties that are not able to provide enough beds to take criminals who may be committing over ten felonies while released. 
  When asked by the Judiciary Interim Committee Chair about the county jail populations issue, Kim Cordova said that she did not think that there was an issue!  Asking any Salt Lake County police chief should confirm that the Jail does not accept booking for less than third degree felonies. (with a few exceptions).  The actual number of criminals that should be on the Salt Lake County Jail graph should be two to three times more.  The Jail Dashboard  which I am familiar with, and I have written about in newspapers, showed many have over 100 arrests until recently and some have over 200 arrests.  The Jail IS REFUSING misdemeanor arrests.
  Sen. Hillyard was correct to say that police often take arrested criminals back to treatment instead of jail (Salt Lake County's Pay For Success in particular).  County jails implement limits and police are told what crimes are accepted for booking.  
  The Legislature should continue collect data and accept testimony from police chiefs and DAs and sheriffs to show the real life situation.  This Committee and I have been having this same argument (well before the Audit) for two years.
  
  Sheriff Rivera was asked about this issue and responded with this (MY RESPONSES ARE IN CAPS):
 "First, there have been no booking restrictions in place at the Salt Lake County Jail since July 2017. The reason our population appears consistent is largely due to a carefully monitored Over-Crowding Release program that affects those in our facility following the booking intake process." (THAT IS NOT  TRUE.  THE JAIL BOOKING RESTRICTION EFFECTS REPORT FROM 2017 IS STILL IN EFFECT.  SLCPD STILL COMPLAINS ABOUT IT!)
  "When you look at the current jail dashboard numbers it is important to understand that due to COVID-19 we have reduced the overall number of inmates in our facility so that we are better able to protect the health and safety of inmates." (ONLY 184 BEDS ARE BEING USED AT OXBOW INSTEAD OF THE OVER 500 BEDS AVAILABLE)
  "In terms of our felony population, at the time I am writing this our dashboard shows that 45.4% of the jail population has been booked on charges below a second-degree felony.
Felonies
First-degree - 398
Second-degree - 368
Third-degree - 507 
Misdemeanors
Class A - 108
Class B - 19
Class C - 3
  Additionally, the prison does not have the authority to hold anyone prior to conviction and sentencing. Currently, in our facility 81% of people have not been sentenced, including those charged with first- or second-degree felonies who we are required to detain pre-trial. The number of individuals awaiting trial is most impacted by the challenges COVID-19 is having on the courts rather than with the prison or their staff.
  You are correct to say that JRI impacted county jails. The reclassification of possession charges from felonies to misdemeanors impacted us in two ways:
  People convicted of misdemeanors now serve time in jails rather than prison.
Jails are no longer eligible for Conditions of Probation (COP) reimbursement for the individuals serving misdemeanor possession sentences in our jails. When these charges were felonies we were reimbursed when time was served in our facility.
  I hope you find this information helpful. JRI is well intentioned but its success will be dependent on all five parts becoming fully implemented. Having alternatives to the jail for individuals being detained with nuisance crimes like intoxication can both reduce costs to the jail and give that individual a chance to receive resources outside of the criminal justice system. It is important to look at the whole criminal justice system. The court process, community-based services, and incarceration alternatives like receiving centers will all play a critical role in this initiative being fully realized."
  (IN OTHER WORDS, JRI HAS PLACED AN UNFUNDED MANDATE ON COUNTIES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN MANY CRIMINALS STAYING ON THE STREET AND COMMITTING CRIMES.)

STREET RECONSTRUCTION DESTROYS NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS
  We have been complaining about lack of traffic calming on streets next to road reconstruction for years without getting acceptable resolutions.  When 1300 East and 1300 South had lane reductions (from 4 to 2 traffic lanes), traffic diverted to nearby streets.  When 2700 South, 1300 East and 500 East were reconstructed, traffic significantly increased on adjacent roads.  During the last Liberty Wells Community Council meeting, there were complaints about the increased traffic and speeding on 400 East.
  Salt Lake City agrees that "traffic management during road construction is difficult."  But the result is a significant decrease in safety and much more traffic, pollution and noise for those neighborhoods. 
  Some of the streets scheduled to be reconstructed in the near future include 300 West (which will shift traffic to West Temple), 900 East, 1300 East (at I80 for a new bridge) and 1100 East (which will shift traffic to 800 East, 900 East (until it undergoes reconstruction) and 1000 East), 900 South (which will increase traffic on nearby east west streets) and 200 South (which could shift traffic to the Avenues and 300 South).
  The City and UDOT have been meeting for over 6 months to work on mitigation measures for the I80 at 1300 East bridge replacement project but the detour routes that they are suggesting are often ignored and that create serious safety issues in adjacent neighborhoods.  Potential plans are to install local traffic only signs or use temporary speed bumps. There will also be adjustments made regularly to offset unexpected motorist responses to detours. And to make it even more complicated, the plans have to include not impacting emergency services. 
  Salt Lake City residents and businesses should not have to endure the long road reconstruction projects without mitigation measures put in place before the projects start. For those neighborhood streets already impacted by past projects, the City owes the neighborhoods traffic calming measures to decrease speeds and volumes of traffic.  Traffic calming can be had with raised crosswalks (as on 2700 South and 500 East) for $8000. The City’s proposed temporary speed bumps or any traffic calming should be permanent.
  Trying to apply for CIP funding sometimes takes years to result in a project. That is too late. The City Administration and Council should require all road projects to plan for and implement traffic calming on streets that could be impacted. SLC time to step up and do the responsible thing.

SLC SRO PROPOSAL WILL HURT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
  Salt Lake City is continuing to push the SRO proposal, now called shared housing ordinance (to get away from the bad history of SROs).  But this ordinance will discourage housing in Salt Lake City.  What developer will invest millions in an apartment building, if an SRO may be placed next to the new building!   This City will actually encourage developers to build housing elsewhere.
  This proposal seems to be like Palmer Court, the second biggest medical response draw in the City which should prove it is not a good idea.  Experts do not recommend all unaffordable due to increased loitering and encouraging and enabling criminal behavior, like crime magnet motels.  Even Dr. Marbut, this Country's Homeless Czar, said treatment should be proven and then expanded first since trying housing first does not work.  "If you only talk about roofs, you are only going to grow homelessness".
  The City may plan to house seniors and disabled and students but low cost housing also attracts criminal elements like the crime magnet motels.  SROs are not a solution to housing until treatment is working.  During recent homeless camps' outreach, only about 22 out of 160 accepted housing!
  This ordinance will discourage the building of higher density housing in Salt Lake City.
Implement inclusionary zoning instead.

BALLPARK AREA PROJECT GETTING PUSHBACK
  In 2017, the City Planning Commission gave a tentative approval to the Book Cliffs Apartments near 1200 South and West Temple.  But the neighborhood was more interested in demolishing the Housing Authority owned homes on the property instead of worrying about the project.  The project is back on track and now neighbors are fighting it.  Many in the neighborhood are concerned about lack of parking (19 spaces for over 50 units), increasing height of building which destroys mountain views and increases shadows, inadequate tree replacement and sidewalk widths.  The Planning Commission is tentatively reconsidering the project at their December 9th meeting.
  Specifically,
PARKING
  We keep having the argument about lack of off street parking.  Seniors should not be expected to walk 100 feet to TRAX.  The Taylor Springs parking lot managed by HASLC is usually full and shows that seniors and low income DO drive.  The 900 S. Bennion apartments (listed by the Housing Authority as proof that parking stalls are not needed) are 200 feet from a bus stop and another 100 feet from TRAX.  The Book Cliffs' nearest bus stop is over 1200 feet.  And thinking that seniors will have no problem walking two or three blocks is not thinking. Ironically, the recent meetings of the Central Ninth Community Council complained about lack of parking (a consistent problem from 9th and 9th which caused an almost riot during the roundabout construction and the arguments of hundreds agains a rezone at 400 East and 9th South).  Some are so desperate that they a placard restricted area!  Parking requirements should be close to the number of apartments.  Bicycle safety is significantly decreased if there are so many cars parked on the street that safe bicycling is not available (due to dooring and lack of visibility from driveways).
MOUNTAIN VIEWS AND SHADOWS
  SLC has had this discussion many times before.  Residents should have a right to morning sunshine and mountain views and sunshine in their gardens and yards.  The mountain views should not be impacted through non compliant zoning (achieved with a conditional use permit or otherwise).  The City's efforts to ignore the importance of morning sunshine (remember the infamous Life, the Universe and Sugar House report).
  The increased height will also intimidate neighbors and other potential residential building projects.  In other words, don't destroy neighborhood possibilities with high density projects.  (My arguments against SROs apply - who would want to build apartments next to a potential SRO site?)
TREES
  SLC has a tree ordinance that is not be implemented.  Removing a tree should result in planting the number of trees equal to the radius of the tree removed (it is unfortunately not leaf equivalent).  Trees removed from before demolition of the homes should be replaced with one tree per 2 inch of diameter of old trees removed.  The project proposal is to replace old trees with one one inch diameter tree!
SIDEWALKS
  Sidewalks should be wider to allow a wheelchair and or stroller to be walked with by a pedestrian side by side.  Sidewalks should not be so limited to not allow side by side walking or use by wheelchairs.  If sidewalk is not wide enough for two wheelchairs, ADU lawsuits should be expected.  I know the people who sue on this issue (they end up with a mediator that forces SLC to make right - SLC had to redo a restroom and provide better ADA accomodations in the City County Building).  HASLC should not be ignoring ADA fairness since they should exxpect some ADA residents.  In addition, if easy access to mass transit is part of the reason for lack of parking, sidewalk widths should reflect that and allow more than one person at a time to use the sidewalk width.

DEPOT DISTRICT PLANS IGNORE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE SAFETY
  The Depot District/Station Center plans for the almost 4 acres owned by the City's RDA and mostly vacant for decades was presented recently.  The area is between 400 West and 600 West and between 200 South and 400 South.  It shows shared streets, big planter boxes and other amenities to prettify the streets.  
  But there is pressure to allow higher buildings in the area (a recent 190 foot building proposal was withdrawn due to SLC questioning if it was appropriate for next to the homeless services!).  I expect high buildings will end up in the area which will result in a lot of shadows and ice buildup on sidewalks and streets.  There is, so far, no plan to mitigate the resulting danger.  Years ago, the old Granite Building Block on 2100 S. and Highland had sidewalks that became slippery when wet!  During winter they were even more unsafe.  Pedestrian sidewalks and streets should be designed to counter the ice and water buildup that will make surfaces slippery and unsafe.  Ice falling from tall buildings should also be mitigated with setbacks.  The City County Building has had an accident from a falling icicle and the Capitol buildings have falling icicle problems.
  The planter boxes may also create visibility problems on a shared street (something that the 300 West project also has a problem with).

SLC COUNCIL DISCUSSES MANY HOUSING PROPOSALS IN ONE MEETING
  "On Tuesday, December 1, at 2PM, the Salt Lake City Council will discuss a variety of planning petitions related to housing issues.
  Housing issues are at the forefront of this discussion, which covers affordability, increasing housing supply, diversifying housing options, and neighborhood compatibility. Additionally, an update from City staff on the adopted Growing SLC Housing Plan will help provide valuable context to this discussion.
  The Council is currently reviewing a few housing-related land use petitions including RMF-30 Zoning changes and a Shared Housing proposal. The Council anticipates other petitions, including an Affordable Housing Overlay and off-street parking changes, in the foreseeable future.
  The goal of the discussion is to link these proposals together and consider them with a “big picture” policy context. Alone, these proposals each impact City housing policy. Combined and coordinated, they become part of a clearer vision. This briefing will help inform the City’s efforts to expand housing opportunities within Salt Lake City. The Council will not take action on these proposals at this meeting. Each item will have future stand-alone briefings and public hearings before the Council takes action."
  This should be one of the most important meetings of the year at the Council.

LEGISLATURE PUNTS ON HYDROGEN EFFORT TO STOP NATURAL GAS USE
  There was an effort at the Public Utilities Interim Committee to get the Committee to endorse a bill to push hydrogen to show how environmental Utah is to the U.S. Olympic Committee.  It was heard but not acted on.  It seemed to ignore the negative impact on budgets and using Utah's plentiful natural gas resources.  Concerns about hydrogen include decreasing importance of Utah natural gas and engineering limitations.
  Emphasizing development of hydrogen use and infrastructure, in my mind, decreases the potential to increase use of Utah's abundant natural gas.  
  Specifically, the effort to push so called green hydrogen (made with solar or wind power and electrolysis of water versus grey hydrogen made with natural gas) will defocus Utah from increasing the use of Utah's abundant natural gas fields.  If they are not used, they will continue to leak.  It has taken us decades to ring out/engineer natural gas development, delivery and use in engines and turbines.  It did not come overnight.  
  I know that UTA and others had issues with power loss by converting buses to natural gas.  That seems to have been mostly fixed.  Utah has also emphasized building a significant infrastructure for the UTA buses and school buses.  Utah and other states have been planning for a natural gas fueling system for major highways for trucking.  Note that the emissions are much better with natural gas versus diesel (NOx emissions are about the same).  Natural gas fuel cells are also available.  The fuel delivery infrastructure of natural gas has taken decades to be set up and shouldn't be discouraged by changing focus to hydrogen. 
  The engineering required to create an effective infrastructure is significant and may take decades.  It require compression to 700 atmospheres and cooling to -253 C.  It also carries 1/4 of the energy per unit volume of natural gas.  The facts are that diesel is about 10 kwh per liter of fuel, LPG/LNG is about 6 kwh per liter, hydrogen is about 2.5 for liquid H2 and 1kwh for 350 atmosphere H2, Lithium Ion batteries are about .3 kwh per liter.  It has taken us over 100 years to develop and perfect the infrastructure to deliver liquid fossil fuels (50 years for LNG).  
  Engineering is not easy or quick.  It is really complicated.  Just because there is a good idea, doesn't mean that it can be implemented quickly.  It applies to nuclear, solar, wind, fossil fuels, cars, trucks and roads.  Hydrogen is much more expensive than our abundant natural gas, is super explosive with leaks that are hard to control (I used to work for a company that couldn't stop helium from leaking!), it will explode if there are any impurities in the piping and it can have disastrous effects on piping (making it brittle).
  My biggest concern is that focusing on hydrogen in Utah will hurt the economy of our natural gas developers and users.  Utah should be focusing on using our resources, not jumping on a so called environmental bandwagon without significantly more analysis.  
  I am also upset that LA and California ordered Mitsubishi turbines for IPA that are certified to work with hydrogen since their goal is to stop burning fossil fuels, even if it does not make sense.  I get really upset when they say that Utah is polluting the atmosphere when their mismanagement of forest fires (and natural gas storage) creates four times more carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere every year than burning Utah coal.  And Utah citizens have to breathe their mismanagement.  
  The efforts to use sustainable energy in Utah would be best focused on a solar panel with battery credit for homes and businesses in Utah to increase the efficiency of our electricity infrastructure and prepare for a worst case earthquake when only those solar panels with batteries will be able to provide electricity.  We did not have electricity for 5 days this last year due to a windstorm.  About 20 years ago, power was lost during a cold Christmas for a few days.  Emergencies happen and Utah should prepare for them.  Increasing use of solar panels with batteries would be better marketing than claiming Utah is jumping on the environmental bandwagon with hydrogen.  Also, Utah could consider removing the electric vehicle registration fees, if we want Utahns to buy more power that is mainly produced by coal, very efficiently.
  For a more in depth analysis of so call green hydrogen, see: https://e360.yale.edu/features/green-hydrogen-could-it-be-key-to-a-carbon-free-economy

SEARS BLOCK PLANS IGNORE CRIME MAGNET 13TH S. WAREHOUSE
  The Sears Block between 7th and 8th South has a proposal to build a high rise with market rate apartments and with a higher height than zoning allows.  I am against it since height variances should only be allowed for mixed income buildings.  But what is more upsetting is one of the City's biggest homeless camping areas is next to the vacant Sears warehouse next to the TRAX line on 1300 South.  That building needs to be demolished or converted to any use to deter homeless attraction.  The new demolition ordinance should be targeted at that building to force redevelopment first before the Sears Block building is approved.

RESTROOMS IN PARKS LISTED
  The Salt Lake City Council asked for more information on restrooms and this is what the City's staff reported:
  "Below is Public Services’ response to public restroom questions:
E-20: Enhanced Homeless Camp Cleanup
What is the strategy and criteria for restroom location selection?
Is the Portland Loo operational by the former Road Home Shelter site? If no, what would be needed to make it operational?
The Portland Loos are in operation and there should be an Advantage Services attendant at the gate.
Are there publicly owned restroom facilities that are or could be opened for public use?
From the Facilities’ perspective: Both the City and County Building and Plaza 349 are open to limited staff numbers, and partially opening them for restroom access would require the addition of attendants, increased janitorial service, a shift in CBI Security responsibilities, and turning on building HVAC systems (they are turned down to unoccupied status to conserve energy). Opening restrooms for occupied City buildings could increase COVID exposure to employees.
From the Public Lands perspective: Public restrooms are available in most of Salt Lake City’s neighborhood, and community parks and in our natural areas throughout the warmer months. However, all park restrooms close each fall in advance of winter’s frost to prevent damage to the above-ground plumbing, which is not designed to withstand winter temperatures. Those facilities reopen in the spring.
Portable toilets are placed in several high-traffic areas for use throughout the winter.
Vault toilet facilities remain open year-round, as they are not subject to freezing pipes.
Below is a list of portable toilets set throughout the winter in parks and natural areas.
Public Lands Site/Winter Portable Restrooms
11th Ave Park    1 Regular
Cottonwood Park 1 ADA
Jordan Park Greenhouse Restroom 1 ADA 1 Regular
Jordan River Par 3 Park 1 ADA
Library Square
Library Manges
Liberty Park 9 Regular 3 ADA
Memory Grove Park 1 Regular
Model Port Park Vault toilet
Popperton Park 1 Regular
Reservior Park 1 Regular
Riverside Park 1 Regular
Rosewood Park 1 Regular
Rotary Glen Park 1 Regular
Sunnyside Park 1 Regular
Warm Springs Park 1 Regular
Westpointe Park 1 Regular
   The Sugar House Community Council will discuss whether to ask the City for a portable restroom for Fairmont Park this Wednesday December 2 at 7pm during their monthly meeting.

SLCPD DESPERATE FOR OFFICERS CLOSES CIU OFFICE
  Since SLCPD is down over 50 officers and overtime has been limited to reduce turnover, the Police Department is rearranging their personnel to try to return some sworn officers to patrol.  The popular Community Intelligence Unit that worked with community councils is being disbanded in January of 2021 and their liaison with community councils will be the responsibility of the captains for the area.  It will be an interesting change.  I am not sure how effective it will be.  Years ago, the CIU position was a stepping stone to higher office in the Department but community councils objected to the turnover and wanted, and got, the City to agree to keep CIU officers in the position for at least 18 months.  Many of the CIU officers became well known to the community and were able to solve issues that were a problem without hands on efforts.

OPPOSITION TO 17TH S. FOOTHILL LAMPLIGHTER SQUARE
  During a meeting so well attended that it hit the Zoom limit of 100 (which resulted in many being left out), the owner of the 1700 South Foothill development (on the west side of Foothill) reported on his plans for the east side of Foothill at 1700 South (he bought the old Lamplighter Inn that was causing a crime problem).  He wanted to increase the height of the building; provide mixed use including a new liquor store; and expand it east onto adjacent single family home property.  Over 70% of attendees objected to the project which will need City Council approval.  The main reason is the increased height will destroy valley views and traffic will be increased too much.
  Again, for any community councils expecting a high turnout over Zoom, consider using the City's offered virtual meeting systems.  SLC's Director of Community Engagement, Weston Clark, is ready to help host meetings using City resources for any of the popular virtual meeting systems.

900 S. S-LINE PROJECT APARTMENTS PROJECT
  The City has indicated that the 900 S. S-Line property that used to be a garage will probably be redeveloped into an apartment building with around 50 residential units.  It meets zoning so the community council will not really have a say.
HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY PROPOSAL FOR TREES PUSHED
  After years of pushing for more trees in schoolyards, several SLC School Board members have agreed and ordered staff to plan to plant trees next to 700 East on the Hawthorne Elementary School property.  Sometimes pushing works.

300 W. PROJECT WILL SLOW TRAFFIC TO 25MPH
  Although most of the 300 West reconstruction will not decrease travel lanes (I still do not think UDOT will allow the block just north of 2100 South to decrease lanes from 3 going south to 2), the project will decrease the speed limit to 25 MPH.  I am not sure that that makes sense for an arterial.  30 MPH is a more appropriate speed limit, especially since there is no parking on the street and streets like 2100 South are more unsafe with a 25 MPH speed limit (It is 30 MPH now).

ALMOST NO COMMENTS ON UTA BUDGET THAT INCREASES FAREPAY
  At a public hearing on the UTA budget, I was told that only one person was commenting on the budget!  That is a sad commentary on our mass transit system.  The deadline is effectively over since it will be adopted Wednesday December 2.  
  My comments were, in short, UTA should not be spending almost $2 million on a trail at the Clearfield Station.  That Station desperately needs more parking.  UTA should not be spending almost $5 million on a parking garage in Sandy.  The TOD tenants should be paying an assessment to UTA to build the parking garage.  Giving away so much property for free to a public private partnership for a TOD that it results in inadequate parking is a bad way to run a mass transit company.
  UTA should implement a $1 fare for buses since it got $187 million in CARES Act funding.  UTA should do a vigorous cost benefit analysis for each of the $100 million proposed BRTs since there is no evidence that they actually encourage ridership; they are unsafe; they require 2 lanes that may increase congestion and pollution and the $100 million could be better spent on 10 more bus routes. 

UTA HIRED 169 DRIVERS IN 2019 FOR $2.1 MILLION
  In a report to the Legislature, "UTA's Chief People Officer has calculated the approximate cost of turnover for Bus Operators at $12,534. In 2019, UTA hired 169 operators to replace employees lost to turnover for a calculated $2.1 million cost. Some published reports, citing SHRM data, say that direct employee replacement costs can reach as high as 50%-60% of an employee's annual salary."

SLC SHOULD PUSH FREE PET LICENSES FOR LOW INCOME/SENIORS
  SLC's Budget Amendment 5 includes the new cost for the County providing animal services and raccoon abatement.  The raccoon abatement program should be publicized to community councils.  SLC should also subsidize the cost of licenses for the companion animals for seniors and low income.  Many do not have the ability to pay for the licenses and vaccinations.  The City should work on that.  The County ended the free senior licenses.  
  Another item in the Amendment, A10, should be permanent lighting not temporary lighting and lighting should be more extensive for the Resource Center areas.  Neighbors near the Resource Centers are regularly accosted by aggressive homeless who loiter.  Funds should also be provided for cop cams or to provide cameras for adjacent businesses accessible to police.

WATER CONSERVATION PLAN INCREASES WATER USE AND KILLS TREES
  The new water conservation plan for SLC still does not provide flexibility for properties that are trying to minimize water use.  There have been several complaints to zoning enforcements that some properties do not meet the minimum planting requirements due to their minimizing water use.  I pass many properties that have beautiful yards with all decorative rocks or other designs that minimize water use but they do not meet the minimum 1/3 green/plantings.  The City should stop wasteful zoning investigations and fights by landowners that are trying to minimize their water use.
  There is an exception that should be  noted in the Water Conservation Plan:  Park Strip trees, City owned but the responsibility of property residents, should be noted that they need to be watered correctly.  I still believe that most residents do not water park strip trees enough for them to flourish.  A two foot wide park strip is often not regularly watered.  The bags can hold water for a week but many recent trees planted (75) have died due to property owners not understanding the requirements to maintain the trees.  This has resulted in a very wasteful result, lots of dead trees.  
  Park Strip trees should be listed and addresses recorded to allow mailing instructions on maintaining trees.  I understand, a couple of decades ago, during a drought, the City encouraged stopping watering the trees and many were too stressed out to survive.  The City should understand that water conservation should not be killing trees.
  The City has 1500 city trees and 1600 private trees.  Dominion Energy recently helped plant 250 trees.  Sugar House Park lost 70 trees including many blue spruce trees that were over 50 years old.  The Park also lost a copper roof from a pavilion but the Park was able to turn it in for a nice return on investment (copper prices are high) and it used the money to replace the roof.  The Park is using off duty police to remove people camping after hours.

CROSSWALK LIGHTING NEEDED FOR PEDESTRIANS
  Several community council meetings expressed concerns about the lack of lighting to emphasize pedestrians crossing the street and protect them from left hand turning vehicles.  700 East (especially around 900 South), 300 West (especially around 900 South) are two especially dangerous intersections especially at night.  SLC has said that they will research how to increase lighting for pedestrians crossing the street in those areas and the 900 South and 300 West reconstructions may provide funding for those solutions.
UTAH IN LA-LA LAND THINKING 3 MONTHS DRUG TREATMENT WORKS
  Dr. Marbut, the Country's homeless czar, during his recent visit to Salt Lake City, said that best practice solutions for homeless that do not want housing or are resistant to housing is to fundamentally change how services are delivered.  We have so moved away from consequences (not criminalizing) that we will always have problems.
  Treatment needs 1-2 years not 3 months.  "Utah is in la-la land if you think 1-3 months will work for a 15 yr homeless drug addict."  I am sad to report that Utah is in la-la land and it is not a musical.

OCTOBER 28, 2020
UTA GOT $187 FROM FEDS BUT REFUSES $1 BUS FARE
JUSTICE REINVESTMENT INITIATIVE NOT WORKING
SLCO BUDGET STILL SHORTS SHERIFF $5 MILLION
SLC OFFERS FREE ZOOM, WEBEX VIRTUAL MEETING HOSTING
900 SOUTH ROAD DIET IGNORES BICYCLING REALITY
GOOGLE WEBPASS TO SUPER DUPER 5 G IN UTAH
NEW SLC COUNCIL COMMENTS SYSTEM IMPLEMENTS EFFICIENCY
NEW HOMELESS CAMP CLEANUP SYSTEM CRAWLS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER NORTH TEMPLE TO REDEVELOP
WATERSHED COLLECTING INFORMATION BILL TABLED
CRAIG CARTER, WHO INSPIRED THOUSANDS, DIES
DUI PLUS DRUG PENALTIES TO INCREASE
JAYWALKING, UTAH YIELD BICYCLISTS SHOULDN'T BE A CRIME
MCCLELLAND CLOSURE EXTENDED DUE TO MISTAKES
SUGAR HOUSE TARGET OPENING IN SPRING 2021

UTA GOT $187 FROM FEDS BUT REFUSES $1 BUS FARE
  UTA received $187 million from the federal government through the CARES Act.  They are saving $100 million to be spent in the next year in the budget that is being discussed now at the Board of Trustees meetings.  But, UTA is spending $87 million this year on other things than trying to get more people to ride mass transit.  UTA gets around $50 million a year in fare revenue (predicted to be about $30 million annually for a few years).  And UTA did help UVX BRT in Provo use free fare (with federal funding).  So why isn't UTA using the CARES Act funds to lower fares to $1 on buses?  (Note fare elasticities for rail are more complicated since parking lots are usually full and ticket machines are limited in the number of tickets per hour that they can dispense.  Lowering fares on rail are not very effective at increasing ridership.  The exception is the FrontRunner free fare days which parents use as a free Disneyland E ticket ride.)
 I respect UTA's efforts to develop and operate an efficient transit system but the important subsidy per rider should be part of the analysis.
  The subsidy of the VIA Southwest SLCO per rider is over $35 per rider which is admittedly less than the subsidy per rider for the previous bus system.  FrontRunner, in evenings may have a subsidy per rider of hundreds of dollars.  The S-Line subsidy per rider (considering a $30 million replacement of rails in 30 years) may be well over $10 per rider.
  Roads are more efficient since they can take vehicles, trucks and families and help the economy by making delivery of goods more efficient.  Roads are used by over 90% of citizens while transit is used by less than 3% and can't carry products.  Roads are more effective at encouraging economic development than rail with a few exceptions.   
  An analysis of roads costs show that the cost for a 10 mile 2 lane 20 year road is around $200 million at most and can carry 3 million vehicles per year for about a $3 subsidy (gas tax is about 25 cents).  In addition the 30% less pollution with rail or BRT should be expected to be matched by vehicles within 5 years since newer vehicles are 90% less polluting that 20 year old cars.
  A more reasonable plan would start with bus and only consider projects if ridership develops.  Rail and/or BRT should only be considered if there is a destination with 40,000 employees (like a university or the International Center).  Note that UDOT has a proposal to run an advanced bus down 5600 West that should be considered.
  Why isn't UTA promoting the expanded span of service for buses that can go past midnight!?  Why isn't UTA promoting studies that show wearing masks on buses protects against COVID infection!?  And why is Salt Lake City spending their valuable transit funding (several million a year - last year they did not spend $1 million of it) on increasing span of service on 2, 9 and 21 routes when UTA is increasing span of service anyway!!?  It seems that SLC is paying for something that was supposed to happen without SLC funds!  Salt Lake City is suggesting now that service on the 4 route (400 South to Foothill and South - which may go eventually to Little Cottonwood Canyon) increase their span of service, then routes in the north part of Salt Lake (Rose Park).
  Rideuta.com has data that provides significantly more transparency on UTA's operations, ridership and bus stop use (I put the October reports in the downloads section in the right.).  In addition, there is a recovery section on rideuta.com/recovery that goes into detail about the new efforts to provide safe ridership on UTA.  UTA is buying 117 new vinyl seats for rail lines to make it easier to regularly clean the seats.
  There is expected to be another service expansion in April of 2021.  Also, Kent Millikin is leaving the Board and Lindon Mayor Jeff Acerson (who spent years on the UTA Board and is much more knowledgeable that the other two Board of Trustees) will join the Board of Trustees when he is confirmed on November 18 at the next Senate Interim Session.
  Senator Harper's pet project, the Mid Valley Connector BRT (about $50 million around 48th South) skipped the EIS since UTA expected local taxes to pay for all of it.  But at the last Interim Session, UTA said that they are working with FTA for it and that should require an EIS (which should show that the two dedicated lanes via a road diet would make 48th South even more congested).
  Other notes from the session regarding UTA include that S-Line ridership is still around 650; the Wasatch Front Regional Council is working with interested parties to analyze the cost of roads versus transit; UTA is double tracking and building a station around Vineyard for FrontRunner which makes sense since FrontRunner trains shouldn't be stopping like they do there on every run; UTA is spending over $4 million on a parking garage in Sandy (that should be paid for by property assessment fees); UTA is studying where to put 4 TODs along the Draper to Lehi TRAX line (paid for by the FTA).
  Each of the hundred million dollar BRT projects will serve about 2000 a day predicted but take up two lanes of traffic.  The 200S BRT is the South Davis Connector.  The 35Max BRT is no longer in service but UTA has asked that the two exclusive lanes be saved for future BRT when ridership increases (if ever)
  The 33rd S and Redwood Rd buses are still running over 2000 a day.  They did not go down in ridership as much as most other routes.  That shows that they need more frequency (and the 217 Redwood Road bus should be going around in circles twice each route).
  And a final note on UTA:  We have been complaining for years that UTA and SLC should not be spending millions on bus stop improvements when buses are ordered to stay one to 4 feet from the curb!  I saw a sign on a bus stop recently that reminded bus drivers to stay 4 feet from the curb (to avoid hitting the bus mirror on a power pole).  But the orders started when the manager in charge of the leased bus tires got tired of the scuffed tires and ordered drivers to stay 1 to 4 feet from the curb!
  Anyone having mobility issues can't easily go into the street and it requires the ramp and time (which wastes the effort to speed up the buses).

JUSTICE REINVESTMENT INITIATIVE NOT WORKING
  The JRI Audit (in the downloads section on the right) showed that JRI is not working as intended.  Too many individuals are being arrested again and again without resolution of their mental issues or drug and alcohol issues (usually covering up their mental issues).  The goal of not incarcerating drug users in prison is an appropriate and respectful effort.  But when criminals misuse the system to continue criminal behavior, it is not working.  The vast majority of drug users do not commit victimless crimes and if they commit crimes everyday they are on the street, they should be incarcerated.  In addition, the State forced an unfunded mandate on counties.  There is a systemic problem with the JRI efforts, in my opinion.
  When the County refuses to fund appropriate jail space but leaves 184 beds open there is a problem.  (Note that the County Sheriff's budget is $5 million less than last year! - The County budget is being discussed in public hearings now - DA and Sheriff presentations are in the downloads on the right.)  When the DA has 14 prosecutor positions unfilled there is a problem.  When judges admonish Adult Probation and Parole (the Audit showed APP was underfunded and undermanned) for recommending probation for someone who empties a gun into a car full of people, there is a problem,
  When a robber is sentenced to 1 to 15 years in prison, ends up in jail for 30days and 6 months later tries to shoot some cops who surround him, who shoot him until he stops being a threat, there is a problem.
  He should have been in prison and you don't need an audit to tell you the system isn't working.  You don't need the US Attorney to tell you there is a problem (he recently complained about the lack of enforcement of laws by Utah government).
  The Legislature should study the cost to properly incarcerate threats to society and fund either the State or County to take those threats out of society and demand that all treatment centers that receive federal funds, track and report all results for a year.  The Audit was unable to show the results for treatment!  It appears from the Utah Department of Health scorecards that success after a year is less than 40% and in 5 years, it may be less than 10%.
  One important finding that was missed is the Audit shows that the Salt Lake County Jail inmate population expanded but has been stable for many years!  That is due to the SLCO Jail's booking restrictions.  (The Audit missed that data!)  The JRI Audit graph in the Appendix should show a doubling or tripling of jail inmates but the Jail only allows first and second degree felonies to be booked!  Law enforcement can influence some flexibility but they are told to try to follow the rules since arrestees tend to walk out before the arrest reports are finished!  The Audit provides a dashboard that goes into more detail at:
 https://public.tableau.com/profile/utah.legislative.auditor.general.s.office#!/

SLC OFFERS FREE ZOOM, WEBEX VIRTUAL MEETING HOSTING
  For some reason, the recognized community organizations in Salt Lake City have not all accepted the City's offer to host the community organizations through Webex, Teams or Zoom.  In fact, "no recognized community organizations have accepted the offer".  This is an offer that should be accepted since it also allows more virtual meetings that can help organize the City's neighborhoods and citizens.  It is also a good reason to organize and work to be recognized by the City.  The City is getting much better at public engagement and they participate in these meetings.  Please consider taking advantage of the offer.

900 SOUTH ROAD DIET IGNORES BICYCLING REALITY
  Salt Lake City is starting the public engagement process of redesigning and reconstructing 900 South.  It will also tie into the 9-Line Trail project that is prioritized to focus on 300 West to State Street.  We have been asking the City to upgrade the priority of the pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the railroad tracks for years but that project is still at the bottom of the priority list.  The railroad tracks divide the City and any project that eliminates that division should be prioritized.  
  The City's proposal is to make 900 South a 25 MPH road with 3 lanes.  But the City is still planning a typical wide center lane instead of a wide bicycle lane to accommodate 2 bicyclists riding side by side or passing one another.  The center turn lane should only exist at traffic lights since left hand turns kill a lot of pedestrians and bicyclists.  Angled parking should be eliminated due to the negative impact on bicycle safety.  The City has also been asked to increase lighting at 700 East to light up pedestrians crossing the road for left hand turning vehicles to better see.  Also missing from the plans is bus pullout lanes to eliminate vehicles being stopped by a bus stopping (or spending 5 minutes deploying a ramp).  The 1300 East road diet created mile long backups because of that problem, buses stopped in the middle of the street.
  With all of the development around the Central 9th area in the near future, the new roadway surface reconstruction may be a problem.  The City is attempting to coordinate with property owners and developers to minimize and eliminate any utility work on the street after the new road is paved.  As always, they are trying but they expect some developers will come in late with other plans.
  The 900 South Asian Market rezone, approved, got a lot of comments at the recent City Council meeting.  But the rezone doesn't really impact the Market.  Whether the Market stays is up to the Market manager, not the landowner that wants the Market to stay.  The nearby residents were upset at the potential increase in development possible with the rezone and the lack of parking for the restaurants on the property which are already negatively impacting the neighborhood (all of 900 South has parking problems - the City is conducting parking studies on the street).
  The biggest threat to the neighborhood character will happen when the 9-Line Trail on the side in front of the Market goes in.  That will encourage redevelopment.
  Although I am usually against road diets, 900 South is not used as much as other roads like 13th South, 1300 East and 2100 South and I don't expect much negative impact.  The bicycle community needs a better east west bicycle route and 900 South makes more sense for a road diet.  I am against lowering the speed since 30 MPH is low enough to ensure safety and keep through traffic on that street instead of speeding through adjacent streets (that resulted from other road diets and bicycle boulevards).  I know that hundreds of bicyclists want more safe space for bicycling and less roadways for personal vehicles, trucks and parking.  But despite claims that roads encourage personal vehicle use, the reality is personal vehicles and trucks and roads make our families, our economy and our Country more efficient.

GOOGLE WEBPASS TO SUPER DUPER 5 G IN UTAH
  The FCC has given Google's Webpass wireless internet company permission to test their new low band internet system in Utah!  This could mean a semi 5G/wifi system in the Valley.  It will take a few months to see what they have planned but they seem to be moving fast.  Note that many other companies are installing 5G breadboxes around the City.  Interestingly, the City (forced by the FCC) allows the companies to install the 5G systems almost anywhere on City property or on utility easements.  Most importantly, they have a standard that they should be kept 15 feet away from any trees.  I wonder what will happen if they try to cut a tree down for a 5G tower?

NEW SLC COUNCIL COMMENTS SYSTEM IMPLEMENTS EFFICIENCY
  The Salt Lake City Council has implemented a new comment system for their formal meetings.  Before, they lumped everyone who wanted to comment together.  If they wanted to comment on specific ordinances or rezonings, citizens would have to wait in the queue with everyone else until they were called (first call in, first allowed to comment).
  The new system continues to encourage public engagement.  Only a couple of city council meetings in the last 10 years had close to a hundred attendees and commenters.  When the city went to virtual meetings with Webex and phone, it actually encouraged more public engagement and comments.  Comments exponentially increased with the George Floyd murder.  Unfortunately, the system the City Council implemented discouraged specific zoning and ordinance issues since there were hundreds of audio comments that focused on police brutality.  Only a handful of commenters were willing to endure the hours of complaints about the police to make their comments.  The new system goes back to separating each individual ordinance and policy in the agenda and allowing comments for those items.  General comments are at the end and tend to be fewer since those complaining about the police and homeless issues are not patient enough to wait to comment.  The system also requires signing up with contact information to discourage any inappropriate comments.  Over the last year, I only heard 2 or 3 comments that I felt crossed the line.  The Councilmembers deserve credit for spending the hours to listen to the comments over the last year.  I fought against the salary increase for the Councilmembers a few years ago but I have to admit that they are now earning every dollar of the extra salary.  Before this year, dedicated Councilmembers spent 20 hours a week on community work.   Over the last year they have spent, I believe, an extra 10 hours a week on working on City issues.  The City Council formal meetings used to be 1 to 2 hours but after May, they started running 3 to 5 hours.  The last meeting lasted 2.5 hours.  The system is much better and many of the issues were better covered.  The only problem was the new Century Link phone conferencing system did not work but the Webex system did do a great job.

NEW HOMELESS CAMP CLEANUP SYSTEM CRAWLS
  The City's new homeless camp abatement system is crawling month by month.  Over the last 3 months, only one camp cleanup has occurred.  Taufer Park camp cleanup was interrupted several times by protesters, including Friday.  But Saturday morning, the cleanup finished (surprise) and the SLCPD is supposed to keep campers away.  It is the closest camp to the 700 South shelter and I expect it to return.  The next scheduled cleanup, that may take just a month is 500 West in the Rio Grande area.  Others are to be around the churches around 300 East and North Temple and 1300 South.
  During the information gathering, the City counted 162 camping at night in Salt Lake City (big camps.  many more were camping in mini camps).  80 were offered beds but 60 of those refused.  The City has access to 80 beds/vouchers for women at hotels.  They also have 40 spots for men at Vincent De Paul Center (using City and State Funds).  The City is also working on a stay safe hotel for high risk homeless with 132 beds.  Switchpoint, a St George homeless shelter operator, is supposed to take over the winter overflow shelter which is still being planned but is not identified yet.  The County is hoping for 150 beds by November 1 in a "non-congregate setting".  The State is looking for another shelter, possibly in Tooele.  SLC Mayor Mendenhall says that she will not allow another shelter in the City, nor another winter overflow or a dedicated camping area in the City.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER NORTH TEMPLE TO REDEVELOP
  Rocky Mountain Power is planning new offices on their North Temple/1500 West property to replace and consolidate all of their offices in Utah by 2022.  The North Temple offices will expand to 800 employees and include the Kern River Gas employees.  The company has been interfering with the Folsom Trail development which runs through their property, despite signing a contract to allow the Trail.  The new project should open up the logjam that is stopping the Folsom Trail from being completed.  The gas plant on the site will continue to operate until 2032.
  On another note, on the Folsom Trail, the Fisher Mansion was damaged by the earthquake and it will require significant repairs and stabilization.

WATERSHED COLLECTING INFORMATION BILL TABLED
  Rep. Stratton has been trying to bring good government sensibility to the Wasatch Canyons watershed and water management by SLC Public Utilities.  One of the new proposed Utah Constitutional Amendments is regarding allowing more input on water services by users of those services that don't live in Salt Lake City.  The Constitution does not now allow any City to sell their water, but Salt Lake City does it anyway and it theoretically can take it away at any time.  Rep. Stratton helped pass the bill for the Amendment on the ballot.
  In the last Interim session, he tried to get a bill through to provide more information for further
    possible actions.  It was tabled until November's Interim Session.  It would require SLC Public Utilities to notify its customers in the Canyons that they can comment and provide feedback on the services provided.  This encourages feedback on how extraterritorial jurisdiction may negatively impact the watershed.  For instance Salt Lake City alone cannot fight the biggest threat to the watershed, forest fires.  Canyon property owners often know more about the threat than the City.  It should be passed to collect more information.  The State's most influential water attorney, Clyde, convinced the Legislature's Water Commission to table it for a month.

CRAIG CARTER, WHO INSPIRED THOUSANDS, DIES
  Craig Carter, a close friend and fellow activist, has died.  He and I had many fights together against the City to make this City better, especially for those of us getting older and having mobility issues. He and I also collaborated on opinion pieces, regarding the importance and heroism of police officers.  His obituary, written by his wife Toni, from the Salt Lake Tribune says it better than I:
"H. Craig Carter
1930 ~ 2020
On Sunday October 18, 2020 I lost my lover of 44 years, partner in crime and "best friend" - Craig Carter. Craig was born May 28, 1930 in SLC to Margaret and Charles Carter. He attended South High. He was a proud marine serving during the Korean War aboard the USS Boxer. He attended The University of Utah where he was an active member and president of "Sigma Pi Fraternity"-- that's when he became a lifelong Ute."
Craig worked for "Restaurant and Store Equipment ", where he designed kitchens and restaurants. He later became the store and interior designer for Castleton's Department stores and warehouse. He then became the head consultant for Pool Display designing stores for Wolfes Sporting Goods, Blocks, Shapiro Travel Goods, Peerless Beauty, Gabby Gourmet, Copper Rivet's to name a few.
His 52-year, lifelong part-time passion started as a freshman at the "U ". His personal and social life became as one for Craig. He handled all the Ushers and Ticket takers at the various venues on campus, Kingsbury Hall, Pioneer Theater, the Old Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse, Huntsman Center, Rice-Eccles Stadium, including all of the U of U graduations. In any given year Craig supervised over 300 part-time employees considering everyone one of them "family"! Craig was an amazing public relations front man for the University. In 2002 he was awarded the "President's Staff Award" from then Pres. Bernie Machen, it was a first for a part time employee. Craig personality was contagious. He always had a smile on his face, loved people, was kind, compassionate and treated everyone with respect. He was always "happy" to see you. Craig cherished his friends and "everyone" was his friend.
Craig's community service extended to being the Chair of the "Judging Committee" of commercial floats for the "Days of '47 Parade" for over 20 years. He was a founding member of what is now the Utah Arts Festival. Mayor Ted Wilson appointed him to the Mayor's Task Force for people with disabilities where he served for over 35 years. Craig was also active as a Board member of Very Special Arts now Arts Access.
Craig was married to Lavon Gill, together they had four fabulous children, David A. Carter (Noelle) CA, Shauna Carter Mabey (Tom) UT, Suzanne Carter Macriss (Rob) UT, Christine Kent AZ, and 6 grandchildren, Molly, Sarah, Nick, Emma, Cici and Kyle.
Dean Collett brought us together in 1968, he recommended me to work for Craig as a football ticket counter. It was at Kingsbury Hall years later, I was selling candy, he asked to kiss me, that was our beginning! He always said, "Toni Russell married me and made me the happiest man in Utah." We have had an eventful, loving life together. Our love of cooking, entertaining, gardening, travel, books, music, and theatre were a part of our lives together up until his end. He will be missed by all our friends and family! When I married Craig, I promised to marry him for better or worse - and I did!
Special thanks Dr. Fred Gottlieb for not only his care of Craig but his friendship and to Good Shephard Hospice for their incredible care over the last five months.
A celebration of his life will take place next Memorial Day weekend because we could not celebrate his "90th" this year.
In lieu of flowers please make donation to Canines With A Cause or your favorite charity.
Please share your photos and memories with the family at www.starksfuneral.com."
  I, and many others, will miss his optimism and activism, and his love of dogs.

DUI PLUS DRUG PENALTIES TO INCREASE
  Rep. Eliason is proposing a new bill that would significantly increase penalties for DUI when it goes over a high blood alcohol level.  These are the incapacitated drivers that are causing the most deaths and injuries on Utah roads.  In addition, the increased penalties will be for using drugs like THC while over the alcohol limit.  I always wondered why the State didn't outlaw using THC while driving and especially with alcohol since alcohol with THC increases the THC in the blood!  Rep. Eliason, again, is making a better Utah.  He also has been sponsoring many of the bills that focus on increasing mobile mental health crisis units in Utah.

JAYWALKING AND UTAH YIELD FOR BICYCLISTS SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME
  Jaywalking laws, in a recent City Lab story, was reported to be a waste of time and effort.  It also was responsible for the SLCPD stopping Patrick Harmon which resulted in him being shot when he overreacted with a knife.  Councilwoman Amy Fowler has expressed interest in decriminalizing many laws like that.  She is right.  The City should decriminalize jaywalking (Former SLCPD Chief Burbank ordered his officers to stop wrighting jaywalking tickets but the law is still on the books and used by SLCPD.).  We should also decriminalize bicycling on sidewalks and streets (it is against the law in Utah for bicyclists to not follow all vehicle laws like a full stop at stop signs and requiring a full complement of safety lights).    
  UTA cops still focus on jaywalking (to and from bus stops and rail stations).  It can create situations that escalate fast.  I also want to decriminalize cruising on State Street.

MCCLELLAND CLOSURE EXTENDED DUE TO CONTRACTOR MISTAKES
  McClelland Street in Sugar House will remain closed for another month due to the concrete crew being pulled off due to a design flaw by the engineering consultant.  The McClelland experience to upgrade the street won't occur until 2021.  
  Neighborhood pedestrians have pointed out that the left hand turn from 2100 South should be eliminated since it requires speeding up to avoid oncoming traffic.  That creates pedestrian dangers.  The City is still evaluating the final design.  There are still two big projects on the street scheduled to be finished well after the summer 2021 McClelland Street change.  Road construction will be a pain for at least a year or two more.

SUGAR HOUSE TARGET OPENING IN SPRING 2021
  For those interested, the Sugar House Target opening may not occur until the spring of 2021.

OCTOBER 19, 2020
SLCPD DOWN 38 SWORN OFFICERS
SLCPD HERO STILL WITH SALT LAKE CITY
SLC INTERNAL AFFAIRS SENDS 2 POLICE TO POST INVESTIGATION
UTAH JUSTICE AUDIT PROVES CLAIMS OF POOR PUBLIC SAFETY
SLC WANTS TO SPEND $4 MILLION TO SAVE OLD BRICK BUILDING
SLC SHOULD BE PROTECTING SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS
IT'S BACK - SRO/MINI CABRINI GREEN/CRIME MAGNET MOTELS
SLC SHOULD BE ADDING PARKS, TREES AND OPEN SPACE
SLC RDA HAS SET PRIORITIES FOR STATE STREET
UTA SET TO CONTINUE OVERCHARGING RIDERS 2.50
UTA CLAIMS 2 EMPTY LANES OF 3500 SOUTH WITHOUT SERVICE
UTA STILL PLANS 200 SOUTH BRT
CASE AGAINST NEW STREETCARS
SLC PUSHES TO KEEP ICE CREAM CONE SIGN FOR LIQUOR STORE
UTA NEEDS MORE BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMMENTS, PLEASE
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES STILL HAS HOMELESS SERVICES
INN BETWEEN ABOUT TO GET EXPANSION
SLC REFUSES TO IMPLEMENT INCLUSIONARY ZONING AGAIN
SLC PRIORITIZES QTR CENT TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
SLC OFFERS ONE HOMELESS CAMP CLEANUP A MONTH
SLC DEMOLITION ORDINANCE ABOUT TO BE PASSED

COMMENTS ON LOCALLINK STUDY SO FAR

SLCPD DOWN 38 SWORN OFFICERS
  Mayor Mendenhall, earlier this month, spent a lot of time at the City Council going over the loss of SLC police officers over the last year.  The report was due to the rumors that were being circulated that SLCPD was down 50 officers.  I was partly responsible for those rumors but I also said that I expected the City to be down 50 officers by December.  I asked for more information after the Mayor's report.  I reminded the City, that, during my presentation to the Legislature last month, SLC 911 dispatch said that much of the poor response time was due to lack of police officers.  I also said that he 911 Director is a great public servant who has significantly decreased 911 problems identified in the audit and I had other information that indicated that the City was not filling many positions.  The City has been more forthcoming and has said that we are down 38 sworn officers as of Oct. 16 and 24 civilian FTEs.   
  I have attached the loss spreadsheet.  Note that this City has usually lost 2-3 officers a month to retirement.  This was reported in last year's IACP Report.  It is due to Utah's public safety retirement system with a significant unfunded actuarial liability.  Note that the City just increased retirement contributions as allowed by the last legislative session.  
  These are the relevant City emails about this issue (from October 7 through 19th):
  "Communities can contact their city counselors to voice their support for PDs. This is their avenue for having their voices heard. Attend community and city council meetings. Call, e-mail, write representatives.....
  Some positions are “frozen”, but we have been given the green light to proceed with hiring up to a certain point. More clarification to come....
  We had been hiring lateral officers and putting them through a shorter academy, but we only have new hire academies scheduled moving forward.....
  New Academy class will have 12 new hires and 2 SLC firefighters.  We are currently in the process of hiring and will be starting an academy in three weeks......
  We are in the process of interviewing new hires over the next couple weeks. We currently have 100+ invited to interview (6 of whom are prior or current Explorers)......
  Funded Vacant Positions as of 10/16/2020  
Vacant Funded Civilian  24
Vacant Funded Sworn  38
  30 hired in academy - January 13, 2020
  20 of those hired in January 13, 2020 still employed"
  My commentary in the Salt Lake Tribune in August indicated that the SLCPD needs more funding and it appears that the City has agreed.  Bottom line, the hiring freeze is over and the new Police Academy class will start in November instead of next spring.  I know that hundreds have been demanding the police to be defunded but tens of thousands want more visible police.  The Mayor appears to be listening to the vast majority.  Ironically, she and Councilman Derek Kitchen were instrumental in pushing through funding (through the federal government) for 50 more SLCPD cops 5 years ago.  The then Mayor tried to stop it by saying the Academy couldn't handle more applicants but that was shown to be wrong.

SLCPD HERO STILL WITH SALT LAKE CITY
  I want to acknowledge the heroism of a Salt Lake City Police Officer Officer who, ten years ago on August 27, 2010, stopped what could have been and almost was a massacre of hundreds of Salt Lake City residents.  Officer Uppsen Downes, who "is still very much employed at SLCPD", engaged a fully armored and armed soldier who was intent on killing as many people as possible.  The soldier had failed to get to a high position in the Grand America Hotel and was on the street in body armor, helmet and with his automatic rifle and lots of ammunition.  When Officer Downes encountered him, he ordered him to drop his rifle.  The soldier unloaded his gun at him and Officer Downes was shot in the leg.  Instead of taking cover and waiting for backup, Officer Downes returned fire with three shots, one of which, miraculously, hit the soldier in the head.  That stopped the massacre that the soldier had planned "to make him famous".  I am convinced that Officer Downes should have been policeman of the year in America and that he saved hundreds of lives that day.  Ten years ago, it could have been different except for an Officer who explained that he was just doing his job.  He is a hero.  I think that he is the greatest hero this State has. 

SLC INTERNAL AFFAIRS SENDS TWO POLICE TO POST INVESTIGATION
  During the last few months, there have been many complaints that the Salt Lake City Police Department is out of control and regularly exhibits police brutality.  The cases that turned up that did show police brutality were immediately corrected when reported.  There have been many times when the violence of a critical event has not been reported but the result has often been the person responsible for not reporting the incident has been forced to retire (as in the case of the police canine officer who did not report these incidents).  There have also been complaints that the Police Union/Association is too powerful and the State is too lenient with police.  The reality is that Utah has a vigorous system that targets unprofessional law enforcement conduct called POST.  Utah is ensuring appropriate police conduct with POST.  In the past, officers have been terminated from law enforcement positions in the State, or suspended from practicing for a time or punished in other ways.  The following are statistics for the last five years for SLCPD, DPS and UDC (provided by POST): 
?
Complaints:
Salt Lake City PD - 26
Department of Public Safety - 42
Utah Department of Corrections - 84
Cases:
Salt Lake City PD - 9
Department of Public Safety - 19 
Utah Department of Corrections - 67
?
Breakdown of complainants and if a case was opened for each Salt Lake City PD complaint:
2020 - 2 referred from SLCIA, and were opened as cases
           1 citizen complaint that was not opened.
2019 - 4 citizen complaints, 3 were not opened and 1 was
           1 referred from another agency during background investigation, was opened as a case
2018 - 5 referred by SLCIA, 4 were opened, 1 was not *as we were being audited
           1 anonymous complaint was not opened
           1 incident was observed by POST on the media and was opened as a case
2017 - 3 incidents were observed by POST on the media, 1 was opened as a case, the other 2 were not
           2 citizen complaint, neither were opened as cases
2016 - 1 referred by SLCPD, opened as a case
           1 anonymous complaints, not opened
           3 citizen complaints, none opened
           1 incident was observed by POST on the media and was opened as a case

UTAH JUSTICE AUDIT PROVES OUR CLAIMS OF POOR PUBLIC SAFETY
  There is an important Audit on Utah's Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) that hit the Legislature this month.  It showed that our criminal justice system is not working well.  JRI stopped sending drug users to prison and forced counties to incarcerate them in the county jail which was costly and effectively an unfunded mandate.  The vast majority of drug users do not commit victimless crimes.  The Audit is in the downloads on the right.  The appendixes show the incarceration numbers and drug and alcohol (SUDs) treatment numbers.  But, as the Audit mentioned, they couldn't get the treatment providers to prove their success.  The State has indicated that the 1 year successful treatment is around 40% but it may take as long as 5 years to reflect real life percentages of success.  The federal government believes successful opioid addiction treatment is around 5%!  Interestingly, I have seen only one person that has gone through the system after Operation Rio Grande that has been able to continue working and stay away from drugs.  She keeps being mentioned as a success and i congratulate her.  But is there anyone else?  The problem, as I indicated several years ago in a commentary in the newspaper, is without jail or incarceration for more that a day, there is no real incentive to enter and continue drug treatment.  The Salt Lake County Jail refuses to book anyone except for first and second degree felonies and they are released, usually, within a day.
  Not noted in the graphs, Salt Lake County limits jail populations and releases everyone, even felonies to not get above a limit. and refused to jail drug users.   In other words  it is worse than the graph in the appendix of the Audit shows.  
  When judges admonish APP (which the Audit said is underfunded and understaffed) for recommending probation for someone who empties a gun into a car full of people, there is a problem.  
  When a robber is sentenced to 1 to 15 years in prison; ends up in jail for 30 days; and 6 months later tries to shoot some cops who surround him; who shot him until he stopped being a threat; there is a problem.  It also created riots and a lot of damage.  He should have been in prison.  You don't need an audit to tell you the system isn't working.
  When the county refuses to fund appropriate jail space and leaves 184 beds open there is a problem.  When the DA has 14 prosecutor positions unfilled there is a problem.  You don't need the US Attorney to tell you there is a problem.
  I urge the Legislature to study the cost to properly incarcerate threats to society and fund either the State or County to take those threats out of society and demand that all treatment centers that receive federal funds, track and report all results for a year.
  I also put the DA and Sheriff budget proposals in the downloads section.

SLC WANTS TO SPEND $4 MILLION TO SAVE OLD BRICK BUILDING
  Salt Lake City has agreed to spend up to $4 million to stabilize and protect and restore the vacant for decades old Mattress Company building in the Rio Grande area that was damaged in the recent Magna earthquake!  The Mattress Company building on 3.92 acres should not be saved but demolished.  The cost would be should be better used for other uses like affordable housing encouragement.  The links below show how difficult it is to stabilize old mortar, old brick buildings.  An old brick building next to high rise, high intensity mixed use, mixed income buildings is not realistic.  Even UTA learned the hard way, after spending too much on trying to restore the old locomotive building that it wasn't worth it.
https://www.latimes.com/visuals/graphics/la-me-earthquake-safety-brick-buildings-20180209-htmlstory.html
https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/41-seismic-rehabilitation.htm
  This will be a boondoggle like the 255 S State project.  Another few million down the drain.  The City's RDA is still considering buying more property in the area, despite the many vacant buildings owned by the City for decades!  I am against buying more Station Center property or leasing ground floors.  SLC RDA should sell to developers who can quickly build higher intensity mixed use, mixed income buildings that fulfil basic design standards (form based design).   

SLC SHOULD BE PROTECTING SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS
  This City is rushing through the RMF 30 proposal to significantly increase density in residential areas.  The last public hearing is October 20.  The proposal will hurt affordable housing.  It will also affect schools since developers will build mostly one bedroom apartments that are for residents without kids.  Developers make more money with studios and 1 bedroom units.  It will also result in many more trees being cut for development.  This proposal, according to recognized experts, will destroy more affordable housing in Salt Lake City.  The City still does not have inclusionary zoning that could mitigate this disastrous proposal and developers are pricing most new units at a high market rate compared to older residential buildings.
  Salt Lake City should use the 80% of property in the City, mostly west of Redwood Road, that is not used for residential use and use that property for housing.  Single family zones are not creating the housing shortage.  Don't get me started on shared?? SRO housing, another boondoggle coming in November for every part of the City but single family neighborhoods.
  During discussion of SLC housing, Jim Wood, the State's housing expert, said that permits in the County are the 3rd highest ever for residential permits.  Covid has had minimal impact on residential unit construction.  The price of housing has gone up 53% in 5 years.  There are 38,000 homeowners in the City and 11,000 are clear of mortgages.  But 17,000 renters in the State are vulnerable to loss of housing due to evictions.
IT'S BACK - SRO/MINI CABRINI GREEN/CRIME MAGNET MOTELS
  The renamed Single Room Occupancy proposal, now Shared Room housing, is set for public hearings on November 10, and November 20.  The City insists that it solves the issue of affordable housing.  This is Pamela Atkinson's push and dream.  She has been pushing this proposal for years.  It will allow SROs throughout the City except in single family zoned areas.  
  Interestingly, the City's Housing Authority tried to build an SRO next to a single family home (on 1725 S. Jefferson St.).  It was 74 units and the RDA turned it down only because it was noncompliant with the zoning.  If the City's SRO proposal passes, that project can receive City funding to proceed!  It is zoned RMF35 now.

SLC SHOULD BE ADDING PARKS, TREES AND OPEN SPACE
  If Salt Lake City wants more housing, focus on setting aside more land for parks.  The City's RDA couldn't find property to buy downtown for a park and gave the $4+ million to Pioneer Park to upgrade it.  I don't think that the upgrade was worth it.  If you want more housing fast, put a park in the Fleet Block as Michael Fife suggested in a recent oped in the Trib.  That will encourage development of housing.  It will develop like Sugar House which developed quickly due to the open space, according to SLC Planning.  Open space encourages housing and economic development faster than higher density zoning.  
  The City wants a park in the Westside of the City and is asking residents in a survey what they want.  About 6 years ago, the City tried to pass a parks bond to convert the Glendale Golf Course to a park!  It created a backlash and the bond proposal failed.  The new survey may be a prelude to a new bond proposal.  There was a survey 6 years ago that tried to justify the parks bond.   
  This City used to be called a Tree City USA.  But when the City cuts thousands of mature trees down each year and suggests replacing them with a 2 inch tree, despite policy that requires 12 2" trees to replace a 24" tree, our urban forest is being lost to City actions.  The fact that the City won't force developers and Rocky Mountain Power to replace trees in a similar manner (12 for a 24" tree), unless it is a "specimen tree - good for the area", is another factor that results in the loss of a lot of trees. 
  What I am trying to say is that the City should be making parks with lots of trees out of all of the vacant property that they own.
  The mural that shows victims of so called police violence (many incidents were justified) could even be saved with a park.  I have no problem with memorializing the dead.

PARKS OPENS SOME RESTROOMS OPEN INCLUDING PORTABLES
  After keeping park restrooms closed for most of the spring and summer, the City has opened many restrooms.  Five park restrooms were open as of last month and the City has also placed 20 portable toilets in the parks.

SLC RDA HAS SET PRIORITIES FOR STATE STREET
  The City has approved the Plan for the State Street CRA.  Unfortunately, almost no one in the area knows about it.  I disagree with its emphasis on prettifying projects like lighting and trees.  It encourages saving so called historic buildings.  It ignores encouraging car lots, especially block long car lots, to move.  It encourages midblock crosswalks, a road diet and a 20 mph speed limit on State Street.
  I disagree with most of the Plan.  I encourage mixed use, mixed income inclusionary form based zoning with impact fee reductions and flexible heights.  (The Planning Commission approved the increased height of the Sears block proposal without requiring affordable housing in return for the higher building.)  The goal should be much more than 3000 living units.  It should be 10,000 housing units.  Do not spend money on prettifying projects like lighting and trees.  Saving historic buildings should not be a priority.  Removing/moving car lots should be a priority, maybe to a block of car sales lots.  Develop Fleet Block as the Michael Fife park.  There should be no Midblock crosswalks, no road diets, no 20mph speed limit since all will increase pollution.  Target nuisance properties.  Where is the Downtown Park that was supposed to get $5 million (at one time Block 70 was supposed to be a BMX bike park!!)?

UTA SET TO CONTINUE OVERCHARGING RIDERS 2.50
  On October 21, UTA is scheduled to approve the continuation of overcharging riders $2.50 a ride!  Fares should be lowered to encourage appropriate ridership  goals.  I think that the fare for buses should be $1.  The reason for buses is rail requires parking and the Booz Allen Hamilton fare elasticity industry standard is affected by lack of parking and ticket throughput on machines.  Buses do not have that limitation.  We argued 10 years ago with UTA on that issue.  Ridership is down 50% and is expected to continue at that level for maybe years.  UTA is getting federal Covid funds and now is a good time to experiment with a $1 fare.  The ridership of FrontRunner is around 6500 a day.  The S-Line is 650 a day.  We need more riders to be encouraged to take transit and a $2.50 fare discourages that.
  These are the new fare proposals:
Adult
Route Deviation $1.25
Group Pass $15.00
Horizon Pass $42.50
Paratransit $4.00
Paratransit 10-Punch $40.00
Ride Van Plus $50.00 Monthly
FAREPAY Discount 20%
3) Free Fare
The following special groups may ride free of charge under these parameters:
• Free Fare Zone – Customers boarding/alighting in the free fare zone
• Children – 5 years and younger when accompanied by a fare paying adult
• Employees – Agency employees, retirees, and eligible dependents
• Personal Care Attendant – Must accompany a pre-qualified rider with a disability
• Paratransit Eligible – Individuals certified as ADA paratransit eligible
• Elementary Students – Must have a training safety course and travel with a school group
• Trainer/Trainees – Trainer with accompanying trainees learning to use the system
• Sworn Peace Officers – Either in or out of uniform and certified with proof of status
DocuSign Envelope ID: 8C81715F-07CA-4FA5-A25B-85EFB3F71AEE
UTA Fare Rates – effective December 1, 2020 Page 2 of 2
4) Reduced Fare
A 50% reduced fare discount will be offered based on the following parameters:
• Seniors: 65 years or older, must show reduced fare card or proof of eligibility and identity when
riding
• Disabled: pre-qualified by UTA, must show reduced fare card
• Medicare: valid Medicare card, must show reduced fare card or proof of eligibility and identity when
riding
• Youth: between the ages of 6 and 18 years old, must show reduced fare card or proof of eligibility
and identity when riding

UTA CLAIMS 2 EMPTY LANES OF 3500 SOUTH WITHOUT SERVICE
  UTA cancelled the 35 Max BRT on 3500 South that used two plus lanes of the street for exclusive operation (used to speed up operation during congested traffic).  But the ridership never got above 3200 riders a day and the lanes are still unused by anyone, bus or car.  UTA says that they will return service in April 2021 during the UTA service increase scheduled.  UDOT, who owns the street, sent me this information:
  "The Department has been coordinating with UTA on issues related to the 35 Max BRT line for several years. We recognize the closure of the BRT center lanes has been longer than originally intended, but the closure is not permanent. The 35 Max BRT lanes were initially closed due to the construction of the development in West Valley City near 2700 West with the intent of using them again once the work was complete. The pandemic resulted in the suspension of the 35 Max line due to drops in ridership and revenue. This has also delayed the re-implementation of the usage of the BRT lanes. UTA is currently working on the bus scheduling details and hope to have the lanes back in service with their April 2021 Change Day."  
  I still think that UTA does not know how to do BRTs.  I put the proposed BRT projects in the downloads section.  Most have predicted riderships of 2000 a day and will cost taxpayers around a $100 million.

UTA STILL PLANS 200 SOUTH BRT
   In answer to a question about the status of the South Davis Connector/200 South SLC BRT (which Davis County insists on being built with a SLC contribution of $67 million), UTA sent me this information:
  "with respect to a connection to the University of Utah we have not made a final determination on a Salt Lake County terminus for the Salt Lake Davis Connector.  We are planning to meet with the project policy group next month then take a recommend option to the public for comment.  We are currently evaluating a downtown SLC terminus as well as a 1300 East and Research Park option
  Salt Lake City still plans on a bus station around 700 East and 200 South and has budgeted $400,000 for the project.

CASE AGAINST NEW STREETCARS
  Despite several elected officials pushing rail and a TRAX extension south via Highland Drive, I have many more arguments that show that it doesn't make sense:
  The S70 (so called streetcar) width is important and was ignored during discussions on extending the streetcar.  It is recommended to have 14 feet clearance with a minimum of 12 feet.  Many streets under consideration (including 1100 East) do not have that clearance.  Another consideration is parking should not be removed (where allowed) just for a TRAX train.  (which tends to create problems if there isn't enough clearance to handle bad parking).  Highland Drive had a contentious road diet that was somewhat mitigated by allowing street parking in return for removing a lane of traffic in each direction.  I would consider a wide bicycle lane or raised shared lane to be more important than a low ridership rail line.  
  Without a great destination like a university, rail is not going to be used.  Before even thinking of extending TRAX, ridership should significantly increase to at least the 5000 that was promised and predicted.  It is at 650 a day now and may not go much higher for ten years (especially if the 500 East refugee housing continues evictions).  
  There should be a vigorous cost benefit analysis before spending hundreds of millions on extending the streetcar anywhere.  The important question is where is the best use for a hundred million in local taxpayer money.  
  Another issue, that became famous in Portland, is the fact that bicyclists keep catching their wheels in the rails since they were often parallel to bicycle travel.  I and many others can think of many better projects for the hundreds of millions required to extend TRAX north or south
  Finally, this is Utah and the TRAX/streetcar extension will destroy the view of the mountains with power lines.  The view of the mountains is sacred in Utah.  

SLC PUSHES TO KEEP ICE CREAM CONE SIGN FOR LIQUOR STORE
  The City has a sign ordinance that encourages saving historic signs like the Snelgrove ice cream cone near 2100 South and 900 East.  There is a project for the old Snelgrove/Nestle ice cream manufacturing property called Sugar Town that is a mixed use project with housing and..... a liquor store!  The City has been asking that the project keep the ice cream cone.  The ABC will probably win the battle.  Ice cream cones do not respectfully advertise liquor.

UTA NEEDS MORE BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMMENTS, PLEASE
  Over the last ten years, I have seen very few people comment to the UTA Board of Trustees.  These are important issues about mass transit and they deserve more comment.  It is much easier now due to the remote/virtual meetings, although the Board always read emails to the Board during meetings.  The new fare proposal is up for discussion and comments must be submitted by 4PM Tuesday before the Wednesday meetings.  Please comment and tell UTA to lower fares on buses to $1.
  "Public Comment will not be taken during the meeting but may be submitted through the means listed below.  Comments submitted before 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20th, will be distributed to board members prior to the meeting:
o online at https://www.rideuta.com/Board-of-Trustees   
o via email at boardoftrustees@rideuta.com
o by telephone at 801-743-3882 option 5 (801-RideUTA option 5) - specify that your comment is for the board meeting
  UTA is also negligent in not publicizing the studies that show no transmission of Covid when passengers are wearing masks as required.  UTA is also replacing seats on their rail cars with plastic that is more easily cleaned and sanitized.   They will cos, on 117 light rail vehicles, $3,993,829.
  "BACKGROUND: The light rail vehicle fleet has fabric covered foam cushion seats. The current seats soil easily and require extensive cleaning. The thick foam acts as a sponge when moisture is introduced and requires deep cleaning to properly sanitize seats. To enhance the interior cleanliness of the light rail vehicle fleet, the new seats will be vinyl with a
lightly padded molded composite construction.
  DISCUSSION: UTA Staff is requesting approval of contract with USSC to replace seats on 117 light rail vehicles in the amount of $3,993,829. The new seats will be the same arrangement of the current seating configuration. The entire seat will be replaced including the frame, seat bottom/back, grab handles and mounting hardware."
I put the ridership data as of October 13 in the zip file with the BRT and FrontRunner project plans.  It also includes the bus stop boardings.  

CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES STILL PROVIDES HOMELESS SERVICES
  These are the hours of the Weigand Homeless Resource Center: 11:30AM–12:30PM, 5–6PM.  They offer "full services with the exception of haircuts. The showers are open, laundry facility is open, client storage is open, computer lab is open, housing and employment services are open, court is still going on every other Friday, and food stamps and Medicaid eligibility is still happening. Our clothing room is also open Tuesday and Friday from 7:00 am to 10:00 am.
  St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall: 
9:00 am to 11:00 am- Good Samaritan Sack Meals
11:30 am to 12:30 pm- CCS Hot Meal
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm- Good Samaritan Sack Meals
5:00 pm to 6:00 pm- CCS Hot Meal

INN BETWEEN ABOUT TO GET EXPANSION
  The City is about to pass an ordinance that will increase the ability of respite care facilities, including The Inn Between, to be in institutional zones.  TIB presently houses 25 homeless assisted living patients and 25 respite care/hospice patients.  So this ordinance, if passed, will allow TIB to house over 70 in their facility.
  "The Inn Between was the original focus on this ordinance to find a proper land use ordinance for facilities that care for the seriously or terminally ill, focusing on the homeless, in this situation. After several years of hard work, the planning department has developed this proposal that would create a capacity ratio of one patient for each 950 sq/ft of the lot size for facilities in the institutional zones. This was a change from the current 25 bed limit. Under this proposal the Inn Between could have up to 60 beds for this purpose based on their 1.3-acre lot"
 
SLC REFUSES TO IMPLEMENT INCLUSIONARY ZONING AGAIN
  Several developer proposals have asked for higher height limits than zoning allows.  The City appears to be granting approvals without requiring affordable housing and inclusionary zoning.  This is a lost opportunity to provide affordable housing in the City.
SLC PRIORITIZES QTR CENT TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
  I put the priority list of the Qtr Cent Transportation Projects in the downloads area.  Most are not getting any comments to the City Council and they should.

SLC OFFERS ONE HOMELESS CAMP CLEANUP A MONTH
  This is the City's plan for one homeless camp cleanup to start.  The City is starting with the 700 South Toefer Park (300 East) area.
  Sept 14, phase 1 portable toilets
                phase 2 oct 5 dedicated diversion starting with 1 site 
        Michelle is deciding with County what site will be next
  wk1 client services to get to know the area
  wk2 continue and set the closed date
  wk3 legal basic needs with justice court and legal help.  The City needs volunteers to help - call  801-535-7712
  wk 4 camp closure with notification 2 weeks prior
SLCPD will ensure no return
  But one camp at a time is not fast enough.  We still need to discourage criminal behavior.  It threatens health and public safety.  We need to discourage bicycle thefts and drug use and criminal behavior around more than 700 South.  Criminal behavior increases violence against the homeless by criminals.  Police walking patrols will discourage that.  Why is anyone living on the street now when the CARES Act provides funds for homeless housing, which should be distributed around many hotels.

SLC DEMOLITION ORDINANCE ABOUT TO BE PASSED
  The City is about to pass the new demolition ordinance.  But it still discourages surface parking lots and requires a lot of up front investment in plantings.  Even the fines may not be enough to encourage landowners to demolish their vacant properties.   I urge the city to lower the barrier to demolition, even if it results in a surface parking lot.  This City still collects more vacant buildings than anyone else and it discourages development and decreases property values.  The City should pass the demolition ordinance but stay on top of it to ensure that it gets rid of bad buildings.

COMMENTS ON LOCALLINK STUDY SO FAR
  In addition to the streetcar arguments above, my other comments on the locallink study that is the new Circulation Plan for the Sugar House/Millcreek/Holladay/South Salt Lake area are below:
  SIDEWALK WIDTHS AND DISTANCE FROM BUILDINGS
  We need wider sidewalks to encourage walkable streets!  Sidewalks don't work when residents need them for barbeques which block all pedestrian traffic (like Liberty Village).  Sidewalks need open width before planters and other obstacles to movement.  Kids on bikes don't do well on sidewalks with obstacles.
  MORE TREES ALONG PARLEYS AND WIDE SHARED SIDEWALK TRAILS
  The Parleys Trail should not be closed in winter and a plan should be developed to decrease safety issues on it.  Trees are needed along the Trail to safely allow dogs to walk on it.  Personally, I would rather walk on the streets just south of I80 to Tanner Park due to the noise.  Maybe it would be cheaper for the City to make it safer for bicyclists to use Parkway as the commuter bike route to Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
  The McClelland Trail should be using the streets since too many property owners want to fight against using the Canal easement for the Trail.  Greystone stopped SLC from using their development which goes over the Canal.  There is also the issue of safety since going between houses, essentially an alleyway, actually creates safety issues.  A body was found on the Canal property south of 27th South.  That unsafe perception won't change with pavement.  1100 East would be a better alternative since it already is used by bicyclists and pedestrians as a comfortable biking experience.  The City should pursue efforts to push 1100 East through to Brickyard.
  STREETS PRIORITY
  Side streets are not as important as arterials where bicyclists have to ride on the side of road.  Repaving should be prioritized on arterials before any side streets.  And the street contracts should go to the edge of the curb!  Contracts now do not specify that.  I wouldn't worry about resurfacing cull-de-sacs.
  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
  Bicycle green conflict markings are not a solution and the best example of questionable safe bicycle infrastructure is 200W and 300S.  Separated bicycle lanes are not maintained daily to encourage bicycling.  Ten foot wide bike lanes would encourage bicycling more.  Bicycle safety is negatively impacted by roundabouts, chicanes, horizontals and bulbouts (which tend to encourage bicyclists to move into traffic lanes).  The area needs a better 20MPH bicycle commuting route east west and north south.  Ten foot wide bike lanes on streets or on raised sidewalks (east of 1300 East) make more sense than a road diet.  Hundreds of bicyclists want the road diet (like 1300 East which turned out lousy for bicyclists) but tens of thousands want the 4 lanes on 2100 South! 
  Left hand turns on arterials like Highland and 2100 South should be discouraged (like IZZY SOUTH proposal), except at traffic lights to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety.  Driveway entrance/exits near traffic lights should be discouraged for the same reason.  Lack of sidewalks is not the problem on Richmond.  It needs a 10 ft wide bicycle lane. 
  RESTAURANTS NEXT TO HOMES CREATES CONFLICTS
  Zoning should have a moderate and gentle zoning to higher density, not an abrupt change from single family to RMF anything.  Note that RMF includes restaurants that create parking, traffic, noise and smell conflicts (homeowners do not want a constant barbeque smell).
  BEST AMENITIES INCLUDE POCKET LIBRARIES AND PARKS
  Plazas need more trees and people.  Sugar House Plaza is essentially dead.  Restaurants should be encouraged to use that dead space.  Again, a right hand turn from 2100 S. to Highland should be considered through the Plaza (north of the monument).  The plazas should have enough power to allow food trucks and festivals to operate without extra power (on site restaurants would get a larger area for outdoor dining in return).  The area needs more pocket libraries and parks.  Plazas could have free wifi, power (enough for food trucks) and seating and tables to encourage use and people and traffic.  And lots of big trees.
  PRETTIFYING AREA SHOULD WAIT UNTIL DEVELOPMENT IS WELL UNDERWAY
  There are too many efforts to prettify the area with creative placemaking when the money could be better used for traffic calming on side streets.  Blocking sidewalks with planters or bike racks (unless bikes are stored parallel to and next to the street).  Stamped concrete crosswalks and the mobility hubs seem to be a waste of money that could be better used. There is a need for a Green Bike station at the McClelland S-Line Station.  Wayfinding should not be a priority (although some help is needed on connecting bicycle trails through the Sugar House Business District).  
  ENSURE PLANNING COORDINATION OF FUTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WITH CITY PLANS
  Until all construction is finished, which may take 10 years, Highland and other streets should not be reconstructed because each new building will tear up the street.  I am still not seeing coordination especially along Highland through Millcreek.  This City is planning on reconstructing 900 East but there are several new developments coming near the S-Line (north and south of it) that will destroy the brand new street!  Consider waiting until all building construction is finished.

SEPT 22, 2020  FOR MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2020
MOST JUSTIFIED POLICE SHOOTING PALACIOS-CARBAJAL
SLC COUNCIL APPROVES MINI CABRINI GREEN
ISSUES WITH PROSECUTING A CANINE OFFICER
UTA WANTS TO SPEND $2 BILLION ON 5000 RIDERS A DAY
UTAH HAS ABOUT 5000 PLUG IN VEHICLES
SLC PROMISES NO MORE HOMELESS CENTERS CAMPING AREAS
SLC EFFORTS IN BALLPARK AREA LISTED BY POLICE CHIEF
SLC STATE STREET PLANS 20MPH
SURVEYS GETTING FEW RESPONSES FOR IMPORTANT POLICIES
LOCAL LINK SUGAR HOUSE STUDY PROBLEMS
SLC SIGNING 25 YEAR SOLAR CONTRACT UNDER DURESS
BACKLASH ON 9TH SOUTH PROJECT COMMUNITY APPROVED
SLC CHANGING FIRE CODES TO ALLOW MORE CYCLE TRACKS
SLC WANTS LOWER FENCES AND NO PRIVACY
CASE FOR WALKING PATROLS
CALIFORNIA FIRES BURN 4 TIMES UTAH BURNS COAL
WHO IS MORE IMPORTANT BICYCLISTS OR DRIVERS
SLC ASKING ABOUT PARKING ON ONE SIDE OF STREET
500 E PAVING NOW
HIGHLAND DRIVE RECONSTRUCTION WAITING UNTIL 2023
NOISE ORDINANCE
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ISSUES 
SEWER BREAKS BY GOOGLE FIBER
UTA BRT COSTING $100 MILLION FOR 2000 RIDERS
INCREASING DENSITY BY DEMOLITION OF HOUSING
SLCO COUNCIL ADOPTING ADU ORDINANCE
SLTRIB OPED WITHOUT FACTS, SLC DOES NOT HAVE INCLUSIONARY ZONING
911 AUDIT ISSUES
IZZY SOUTH PROJECT WILL DESTROY 21ST SOUTH
RDA WANTS TO WASTE MONEY ON MATTRESS BUILDING??!!
COSTS OF TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECTS
FEDS DON'T WANT CAMERAS
COTTONWOOD CANYONS EIS GETS ONLY 6500 COMMENTS
RESEARCH PARK PLANS GET COMMUNITY PUSHBACK
SHERIFF CAN'T KEEP JAIL PERSONNEL, 184 BEDS STILL VACANT

September local SLC news from community councils:  Due to all of meetings this month, including Legislature (where I gave a 911 presentation that included mental health system response), SLC City Council, UTA, community councils (including Mayor and Police Chief, I have combined all of the information and news this month is this one long but informative blog entry.  A final decision was created by losing power for 5 days due to the windstorm.  I do not fault Rocky Mountain Power since our yard has lots of trees and a branch broke the power line.

MOST JUSTIFIED POLICE SHOOTING WAS OF PALACIOS-CARBAJAL
  Salt Lake City's worst riots ever occurred recently with the finding by the DA Sim Gill that the shooting of Bernardo Palacios-Cabajal was justified.  Rioters caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to public buildings.   But, if you look at the full investigation, and not just think that cops shot a man in the back many times, you would understand that the shooting was justified.
  Palacios-Carbajal was out on probation after being convicted of robbery.  He should have been in jail, in my mind.  He had robbed, at gunpoint, 3 individuals that night before Police saw him.  As he ran from the Police, he exhibited signs of drug or alcohol intoxication, evidenced by dropping his gun several times.
  When he was surrounded by Police, with his back turned, he picked up his gun from the ground.  That is when he was shot many times in the back.  
  Anyone who reads history should recognize the danger that Police were in at that moment.  They literally were a second away from death.  Armed individuals who are on drugs do not normally go down with one or two bullets.  Even when they are shot full of bullets, they may not stop.  It is why the word assassin came to be (since they seemed to ignore death while high on hashish).  It is why Utah's John Browning invented the 1911 45 caliber Browning Automatic handgun.  And it is why the FBI went to 40 caliber guns.  Even when shot full of bullets, some criminals don't stop being a threat.
  The final proof that the shooting was justified, and the cops were heroes (facing death), was the fact that Palacios-Carbajal, even after being shot many times, turned over and tried to raise his gun at the officers!  
  I am convinced that the Police stopped the potential shootings of many innocent bar patrons that were about to exit into the surrounding streets from the bars that were closing.
  These Police are heroes.  The final insult is to compare George Floyd with Bernardo.  In my opinion, BLM Utah's self appointed spokesperson abrogated her leadership and responsibility when she decided the two cases were the same.  The recent shootings of armed criminals are nothing like the George Floyd murder.

SLC COUNCIL APPROVES MINI CABRINI GREEN
  Despite the Salt Lake City policy of mixed income (due to the history of 100% affordable/low income housing that tends to encourage and enable socially destructive behavior), the City Council approved the rezone to mixed use medium density for affordable housing next to a single family neighborhood.  They effectively, in my opinion, did an illegal contracted rezone.  Tooele tried to do one last year and they were effectively told by the Utah Supreme Court that it was illegal.  The rezone also effectively destroys our efforts (for 10 years) to create safe wide bike lanes on Richmond Street continuing through to 1300 East by removing the center turn lane and emphasizing no parking on the street.  There are usually no parked cars but developers have removed some of the no parking signs.
  Forcing homeowners to be tortured by next door restaurant fumes (allowed in R-MU 45) is wrong.  Destruction of their privacy is wrong.  And, most importantly, there is NO SAFE SIDEWALK ACCESS to Brickyard.  It is disrespectful to treat low income to the danger of that street that has regular crashes.  Finally, why isn't SLC forcing inclusionary zoning.  The Stack Apartments are being built in Brickyard without affordable housing!!!!  
  This is wrong on so many levels.  I expect this to be the start of a big assault on single family home neighborhoods.  The next is the RMF30 proposal below quickly followed by Single Room Occupancy (like crime magnet motels) pushed through the City.

ISSUES WITH PROSECUTING A CANINE OFFICER
  I think that the Salt Lake City police officer who set his police dog on a man who was complying with orders was criminally negligent and should not be on patrol.  He has effectively destroyed his ability to be a good officer and has wasted the ability and significant cost of training a police dog.  The City and State should not allow him to continue as a cop and that means that his dog must be retired with him.  He has cost this City dearly.  Before assigning a trained police dog to an officer, they should have a thorough psychological evaluation to ensure that there is less chance of inappropriate and questionable behavior.

UTA WANTS TO SPEND $2 BILLION ON 5000 RIDERS A DAY
  UTA's  FrontRunner has a ridership now of less than 5000 passengers a day.  Despite that, UTA wants to spend $2 billion on double tracking and electrifying FrontRunner.  The best argument for electrifying FrontRunner, although I think that it is fiscally irresponsible, is that the electric trains can accelerate much faster than the diesel locomotives. 
  Road use has returned to 90% of pre-Covid use.  But UTA's ridership is down 50% and does not seem to be increasing at all.  It has not improved since April!   
  The Legislature should move management of mass transit in Utah to UDOT and start using cost benefit analysis of projects to determine if spending a billion on a new east west freeway for Southwest SLCO would make more sense than a billion to double track FrontRunner.  When mass transit ridership improves, potential high cost projects can be re-evaluated.
  I put the latest ridership data in a spreadsheet at the right under downloads along with bus stop action.  Note that Salt Lake City gets $4.7 million from SB136.  The County gets some money also and 40% of the $58 million raised per year by SB136 goes to UTA.   
  UTA seems to be pursuing the Draper to Lehi TRAX (studying 4 stations now) with the pressure to use it to encourage economic development. The idea of spending two billion on this is not an efficient use of funds.  In this State, good roads create better and faster economic development than rail.  
  Many point to the S-Line creating the super building boom in Sugar House but the reality is that there are only 650 riders a day now and the development was encouraged more by the significant open space (SLC Planning's opinion) than the rail.  Others point to the Farmington Frontrunner station as evidence that led to development of the area.  But looking at the large parking lots and stores well away from the station should show that cars and roads create most of the development.  Some even claim that the Cabela's near the station show the impact of rail.  But, I know the efforts that Farmington Economic Development Department went through to get Cabela's.  They deserve credit, not UTA.  In addition, Cabela's shoppers generally, do not use mass transit.
  Cars roads and trucks make our families, our economy and our Country more efficient.  Draper and Lehi would both significantly benefit from using billions to build efficient high speed roads instead of rail through the State Prison site, relatively quickly, with resulting better economic development benefits.
  I encourage the legislature to recognize that the best use of taxpayer funds is to spend it where it will be most effectively and responsibly used, and that is on roads.  Legislature, please focus UTA on providing service and not accept nor encourage billion dollar projects.
  Missing from all of the reasoning to make people ride mass transit to improve the air is that passenger vehicles (cars) are pretty efficient and, with Tier 3 gasoline, they pollute less than 3% of what cars did 30 years ago!  Big rig diesel trucks used for deliveries are the big issue and problem.  My point is that passenger rail will not have as big of an impact on air pollution as many expect.
  UTAH'S LEGISLATURE SHOULD CONSIDER PUTTING UTA UNDER UDOT TO PROVIDE A GOOD COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF PROJECTS.
  The projects that are being considered for UTA, for roads and for bicyclists are listed at unifiedplan.org.

UTAH HAS ABOUT 5000 PLUG-IN VEHICLES
  UDOT has about 2000 vehicles registered to participate in the road usage charge experiment that lowers to $120 the maximum registration fee for electric and hybrid vehicles.
  Utah has about 55,000 vehicles that could participate.  The Legislature, with SB136 significantly increased the charge for electric and hybrid vehicles to register with the reasoning (questionable) that they don't pay enough in gasoline taxes to pay their fair share to maintain the roads.  There are about 43,000 hybrids, and 5,000 plug-ins.  One half of 1% of the hybrids are enrolled in the road usage charge experiment and 10% of the plug-ins are enrolled.
  UDOT is also limiting, even more, the allowed HOV lane decals/smart transponders since the federally funded HOV lanes have to have a minimum average speed of 45mph.  There are too many requests to use the HOV lanes to keep them moving at a minimum of 45mph if all requests are approved.

SLC PROMISES NO MORE HOMELESS CENTERS OR CAMPING AREAS
  During a City Council meeting on the homeless problems in Salt Lake City, the Mayor unveiled a new initiative to offer private landowners free cleaning by Advantage Services of biowaste on their property.  Previously, the City required private property owners to pay half of the $80 charge.  The new service will be planned for at least 12 weeks.  In addition, the City will consider more trashcans and restrooms with attendants.
  The City is also working on a new store your stuff building with the County for homeless storage.  The Mayor said that "we can do better at connecting individuals with resources".  She also suggested that the City might consider a tiny home community or communities like Austin. 
  The Mayor also told the Council, in response to a concern by Councilman Andrew Johnston about the drug dealing in the homeless areas, that "you will see police presence even after significant burdens on Police due to protests and overtime".  The SLCPD bike squad will patrol.
  The Mayor explained her plans for new camp cleanups (temporarily stopped in July after some cleanup personnel were threatened).  The City will start with Tofler Park near the women's shelter, then Ballpark, North Temple and Pioneer Park.  The City and County will start an outreach program like homeless connect (where all sorts of homeless services are available in one place - previously once a year in the Salt Palace) a week or two before the camp cleanup.  There will be an intensive outreach focusing on trying to address the needs of the homeless campers with regards to drugs, legal/warrants/tickets (with Justice Court and attorneys) and social workers to identify and offer services suggested.  After addressing barriers to housing, the camps will be closed. 
  The City said that the County's Homeless Coordinating Committee is researching where will the homeless go in winter.  They are looking for a location and for funding.  The Mayor told the Council that she does not plan on bringing a camping area to Salt Lake City nor another winter emergency shelter.  She is hoping that outreach will help.  There is a need to add stakeholders and they do need an alternative to where people will go.  They are considering motel vouchers.  The CARES Act and FEMA have been providing funding to house the homeless in hotels in other cities around the Country.  The County Committee is also focusing on trying to get the homeless into housing instead of considering a camping area.
  The Mayor said that she is excited that a transmittal is going to the Council at the beginning of September on expanding the areas for SROs.  I consider the SROs, sort of like mini Cabrini Greens, like the crime motels along State Street and North Temple.
  She also explained her program Raise Up SLC, that is funded by a million dollar program, some by donations, that provides a $500 debit card to those facing eviction.  She noted that 2000 households in Salt Lake did not receive help from the CARES Act.
  Katie McKellar, at the Deseret News, had a good report on the Mayor's new homeless plans' discussion with the City Council at: 
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/9/1/21411363/utah-salt-lake-city-mendenhall-winter-plan-pandemic-covid-19-homelessness-camps
  During the City Council Formal Meeting on September 15, there were dozens of callers claiming that the City is not doing enough to help the homeless and that the homeless camp cleanups are inhumane.  The callers hadn't seen the City's efforts in the last 8 years trying to help and solve the homeless issues.  They haven't seen several of the Councilmembers devoting your careers in and out of government to help homeless.  It is a complicated problem not just in this Country but worldwide.  The Mayor deserves credit ensuring that there are more services offered to homeless camps well before County Health removes camps in accordance with State and county laws.  I remember several mayors ago, when police were giving homeless plastic garbage bags and kicking them all out of areas with homeless services (we complained about that "quality of life" enforcement then).
  Whatever happened to the Portland Loos?

SLC EFFORTS IN BALLPARK AREA LISTED BY POLICE CHIEF
  During the September Ballpark Community Council, the Mayor and SLC Police Chief discussed the problems that the area has seen increase with homeless congregating near the new portable toilets.  The Principal of Horizonte School said that families of students have been upset with the homeless congregating in the area.  Every morning, 30 to 40 homeless surround the restrooms by the parking lot of Horizonte.  The toilets are in the Smiths Ballpark parking lot next to the Horizonte parking lot.  
  The Chief said that they would have four bike squads available under Sgt Steve Woolridge including Sundays.  The Police will be sending two Police cars every day for 2 hours to patrol the area.  
  In addition, the Police have removed the gambling machines from the former Wayne's Corner at 1300 South State (on June 1).  Since then, there have only been 31 911 calls which is much fewer than before.   Again, neighbors say that there still is a problem with criminal behavior in the area.
  The Mayor asked for bike patrols on Paramount next to the Homeless Resource Center after one business owner complained that they needed foot patrols on the street and several complained to the City Council about being threatened with weapons by the homeless.  The Police were offered a room at the Resource Center to go in and write reports to encourage Police visibility. 
  The Chief said that part of the problem with criminal behavior is that only felony 1 and 2 are allowed to be booked into jail due to jail booking restrictions.  The County Jail is not able to use 183 beds due to insufficient personnel - and the County is discussing that issue now - I put the Sheriff's budget proposal in the right hand downloads section.  Please tell the County Councilmembers that we need more funding for the Jail and DA to keep the bad guys in jail.  
  There is also an argument that a lot of the recent Police shootings are due to the bad guys that the County refuses to keep in jail.  One of those was Bernardo Palacios Carbajal who was out on probation for a robbery when he was shot by the Police.  (see the first blog entry of this date)
  The Mayor also told the Community Council that the City would be rushing the new demolition ordinance that would make it easier to raze the many vacant buildings that increase criminal behavior.  Many in the community have complained about the many vacant building and their attraction to criminals.  The Ballpark neighborhood has more vacant buildings than the rest of the City.  The ordinance was heard by the City Council at the Sept. 15 work session.
  Shelter the Homeless is generating a report about some of the successful results in helping the homeless and will present it at the next Ballpark Community Council.  Hundreds of homeless have been moved into permanent housing.
  Other complaints that came up in the meeting were that there has been a lot of homeless camping out Smiths Ballpark parking lot where they break into the light poles for electricity.  The City placed plates over them due to problems 5 years ago but the homeless have been able to break into them.  SLCPD Officers have been told to stay off of the parking lot to decrease potential for violent confrontations.
  Also, many alleyway neighbors want their alleys closed.  A lot of the biowaste and criminal behavior (and murders) happen in the alleyways.  Ironically, the City has budgeted money to pave alleyways.  But alleyways lose their pleasantness with piles of feces.  The City should ensure that the communities have input before selecting the alleyways.  

SLC STATE STREET PLANS 20MPH
  Salt Lake City is about to destroy, in my opinion, the potential to energize and encourage the potential future redevelopment of State Street.  The City has suggested 20MPH speed limits, raised islands, travel lane width reductions, improved intersection crossings, curb bulb-outs, signalized mid-block crossings between each block, streetscape improvements and wider sidewalks on State Street.
  The website is https://www.lifeonstate.com.  A survey is coming.  It will ask what type of amenities should be on State Street.  Much of the money for the so called improvements are coming from the quarter cent money from SB136 and the tax increment funds from the CRA.
  UDOT controls the road and has been balking at lowering the speed limit to 20MPH for several years.  UDOT did allow 2 new midblock crossings around 600 S and 700 S (for the homeless).  UDOT also agreed to decrease lane width. 
  The City is proposing raised islands with landscaping, despite issues with watering medians over the last few years.  In addition, the area that they take up could be and should be used for bike lanes.  Of course, the City would create a wonderful place for homeless to hang out and beg if they put in a park like median!
  The City says that Main Street should be the bike road with its cycle track!  A 10 foot wide bike lane would be better and encourage bicycling more.  Removing the useless medians and decreasing left hand turns except at the lights would also increase bicycle safety.  Bulbouts and other horizontal bicycle path shifts (like chicanes) decrease bicycle safety.  
  Finally, the City is considering removing parking to increase the sidewalk width.  I think parking is important for mixed use development.  The City could encourage developers to increase their sidewalk width by allowing higher buildings.
  The City has approved the final Interlocal Agreement (ILA) to work with the County and State on the road.  There has been minimal input on this issue which I consider to be one of the most important issues in the last 6 years.  I know that Envision Utah, which developed the original Life On State study which recommended road diets and roundabouts, prettifying State Street, thinks that they had great engagement but I disagree.
  Among the City's goals for the State Street CRA ILA are: acquire property; prettify the street and save historic buildings.
  I do not want the City to acquire property since they keep it vacant, like in the Rio Grande area, for decades.  I want the City to encourage mixed use, mixed income inclusionary form based zoning with impact fee reductions and flexible heights.  I do not want the City to spend money on lighting and trees until redevelopment is at least 50% complete.  Saving historic buildings should not be a priority.  Priority should be given to removing/moving car lot to maybe a block of car sales lots.  Car lots do not encourage walkability.  I agree with Michael Fife, who had an oped in the SLTRIB.COM recently, that the Fleet Block should be developed as a park.  The City was unable to spend the $5 million budgeted years ago for a downtown park and instead the City used the money to make Pioneer Park nicer (it didn't work).  Housing and development of the 900 South corridor would be better encouraged, with more housing, if the Fleet Block on 900 South were made into a park.  Ballpark does not have a large park (Jefferson Park is used by Public Utilities for Storm runoff) and it deserves one.  Maybe a portion could be used for a pocket library.
  I am against midblock crosswalks since I know many businesses who cringe when they have to go downtown since they keep hitting the crosswalk lights that are not synchronized in the downtown area and increase pollution and time to travel by vehicle.  I don't believe that economic development of State Street is helped by road diets or a 20MPH speed limit.  
  I urge the City to decriminalize State Street cruising.  It might bring back some of the energy that the street is missing.

SURVEYS GETTING FEW RESPONSES FOR IMPORTANT POLICIES
  There have been many surveys recently in Salt Lake City in an effort to encourage public engagement.  There have been so many surveys that City employees are recognizing survey fatigue with some surveys getting only 5 responses!  If you have comments about anything, tell your City Councilmember.  You can find the list of projects at:
 https://www.slc.gov/active-projects-by-district
Try to respond to the survey and stay informed of the projects in your area.

LOCAL LINK SUGAR HOUSE STUDY PROBLEMS
  Salt Lake City, the County, South Salt Lake City and Millcreek and Holladay are working together on a new circulation study of transportation, transit, bicycling and pedestrian options in the area of and south of Sugar House.  The website is at:
https://www.locallinkstudy.com
  Only about 150 have taken the survey which is being undertaken to plan the future transportation options in the area!  But the City has garnered some important information from the survey respondents with a few surprises.  The City is now funding a consultant firm to continue gathering information.  The survey will continue gathering information for a few years even though the original survey closed.  
  From the website:  "The Local Link Circulation Study evaluates how well the existing transportation network works for each type of transportation (walking, cycling, transit, automobile). The goal of the study is to identify gaps and barriers that make it difficult for people to efficiently travel through and around the area and access the businesses, parks and other destinations that make this part of our community such an attractive place to live, work and visit."
  The plans from the original survey include:
2020
Reconstructing Elizabeth Street - Stratford Avenue to Whitlock Avenue
Reconstructing Zenith Avenue - 800 East to 900 East
Reconstructing Parkway Avenue - Elizabeth Street to Highland Drive
Route 21 Bus Stop Enhancements
2021
Reconstructing 900 East - Hollywood Avenue to 2700 South
Resurfacing Highland - Warnock to Salt Lake City line
2023
Reconstructing 1100 East / Highland Drive - Ramona Avenue to Warnock Avenue
Reconstructing Ashton Avenue - 1100 East to Highland Drive
Reconstructing 1000 East - Atkin Avenue to 2700 South
Reconstructing Lincoln Street - Elm Avenue to 2100 South
Reconstructing Meadow Lane - Green Street to 700 East
Reconstructing Gregson Avenue - 900 East to Lincoln Street
Reconstructing Simpson Avenue - 1100 East to Highland Drive
2024
Reconstructing 1300 E - 2100 South to Salt Lake City Boundary
2025
Reconstructing 2100 South - 700 East to 1700 East

I found the information on traffic accidents, including bicycles and pedestrians, to be interesting so it is below:
BICYCLE CRASHES
The planning team analyzed bicycle crashes between 2010 to 2019 by severity, location, year of occurrence, and daylight characteristics. Between 2010 and 2019, there were a total of 527 reported crashes involving bicycles. As shown in Figure 1, 3 of these crashes were fatal; 43 were reported as causing “serious injury;” 253 were reported as causing “minor injury;” 187 were reported as causing “possible injury;” and 41 were reported as causing “no injury.” The three fatal injuries occurred at the intersection of 2100 South and 1200 East, 3300 South and 1570 East, and 900 West and 3100 South.

70% (366) bicycle crashes occurred at intersections, while 30% (161) occurred at non-intersections. Only two percent of crashes occurred at a bicycle or pedestrian path intersection. 30% (160) of bicycle crashes occurred on roadways with designated bicycle infrastructure, whereas 70% (367) occurred on roadways without designated bicycle infrastructure, pointing to the importance of developing safe and comfortable bicycle facilities. The majority of crashes occurred on the largest arterial roads such as State Street, 2100 South, and Highland Drive.

Reported bicycle crashes have decreased over time, with earlier years showing higher number of crashes than later years as shown in Figure 2. In 2011, 79 crashes were recorded. In 2019, only 19 crashes were recorded. Note that this could be due to incomplete crash reporting. 
PEDESTRIAN CRASHES
The planning team analyzed pedestrian crashes between 2010 to 2019 by severity, location, year of occurrence, and daylight characteristics. Between 2010 and 2019, there were a total of 550 reported crashes involving pedestrians. As shown in Figure 4, 33 of these crashes were fatal; 78 were reported as causing “serious injury;” 237 were reported as causing “minor injury;” 181 were reported as causing “possible injury;” and 21 were reported as causing “no injury.”

69% (378) of pedestrian crashes occurred at intersections, while 31% (172) occurred at non-intersections. Crashes appear to be centered around commercial areas with high to moderate pedestrian activity, such as the Sugar House Business District, 3300 South, State Street, 2100 South, and State Street.
The number of reported crashes has varied over time, with the majority of crashes occurring in 2017 (64), 2013 (63), and 2015 (60). 2019 showed the lowest number of reported crashes, with only 41 crashes reported. Note that this number could be due to incomplete crash reporting. 

  These are my comments on the first iteration of the website:
  There are too many efforts to prettify the area with creative placemaking when the money could be better used for traffic calming on side streets.  Blocking sidewalks with planters or bike racks (unless bikes are stored parallel to and next to the street).  Stamped concrete crosswalks and the mobility hubs seem to be a waste of money that could be better used. There is a need for a Green Bike station at the McClelland S-Line Station.  Wayfinding should not be a priority (although some help is needed on connecting bicycle trails through the Sugar House Business District).  
  Bicycle green conflict markings are not a solution and the best example of questionable safe bicycle infrastructure is 200W and 300S.  Separated bicycle lanes are not maintained daily to encourage bicycling.  Ten foot wide bike lanes would encourage bicycling more.  Bicycle safety is negatively impacted by roundabouts, chicanes, horizontals and bulbouts (which tend to encourage bicyclists to move into traffic lanes).  The area needs a better 20MPH bicycle commuting route east west and north south.  Ten foot wide bike lanes on streets or on raised sidewalks (east of 1300 East) make more sense than a road diet.  Left hand turns on arterials like Highland and 2100 South should be discouraged, except at traffic lights to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety.  Driveway entrance/exits near traffic lights should be discouraged for the same reason.
  The Parleys Trail should not be closed in winter and a plan should be developed to decrease safety issues on it.  Trees are needed along the Trail to safely allow dogs to walk on it.  Personally, I would rather walk on the streets just south of I80 to Tanner Park due to the noise.  Maybe it would be cheaper for the City to make it safer for bicyclists to use Parkway as the commuter bike route to Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
  The McClelland Trail should be using the streets since too many property owners want to fight against using the Canal easement for the Trail.  Greystone stopped SLC from using their development which goes over the Canal.  There is also the issue of safety since going between houses, essentially an alleyway, actually creates safety issues.  A body was found on the Canal property south of 27th South.  That unsafe perception won't change with pavement.  1100 East would be a better alternative since it already is used by bicyclists and pedestrians as a comfortable biking experience.  The City should pursue efforts to push 1100 East through to Brickyard.
  Until all construction is finished, which may take 10 years, Highland and other streets should not be reconstructed because each new building will tear up the street.
  Plazas need more trees and people.  Sugar House Plaza is essentially dead.  Restaurants should be encouraged to use that dead space.  Again, a right hand turn from 2100 S. to Highland should be considered through the Plaza (north of the monument).  The plazas should have enough power to allow food trucks and festivals to operate without extra power (on site restaurants would get a larger area for outdoor dining in return.  The area needs more pocket libraries and parks.   Plazas could have free wifi and seating and tables to encourage use and people and traffic.
  Side streets are not as important as arterials where bicyclists have to ride on the side of road.  Repaving should be prioritized on arterials before any side streets.
  S70 (so called streetcar) width is important and was ignored during discussions on extending the streetcar.  It is recommended to have 14 feet clearance with a minimum of 12 feet.  Many streets under consideration (including 1100 East) do not have that clearance.  Another consideration is parking should not be removed (where allowed) just for a TRAX train.  Highland Drive had a contentious road diet that was somewhat mitigated by allowing street parking in return for removing a lane of traffic in each direction.  I would consider a wide bicycle lane or raised shared lane to be more important than a low ridership rail line.  Without a great destination like a university, rail is not going to be used.  Before even thinking of extending TRAX, ridership should significantly increase to at least the 5000 that was promised and predicted.  It is at 650 a day now and may not go much higher for ten years (especially if the 500 East refugee housing continues evictions).  There should be a vigorous cost benefit analysis before spending hundreds of millions on extending the streetcar anywhere.  The important question is where is the best use for a hundred million in local taxpayer money.
 
SLC SIGNING 25 YEAR CONTRACT UNDER DURESS
  Salt Lake City is signing a 25 year solar energy contract with a developer who insisted that the standard 15 year contract for providing solar energy is not doable.  The City wanted to claim that it is sustainable so it agreed to the questionable contract that obligates the City to buy solar power from the developer without considering the significantly lower rates predicted in the future.  In the last 20 years, solar generation costs went from $5 per kilowatt hour to less than 5 cents!  
  I believe that this contract is going to overcharge the City's citizens much like the UTOPIA interest rate swap that overcharged UTOPIA customers $50 million a year.  I believe that solar power generation will cost significantly less in the future but the City's citizens will still be paying a high cost.

BACKLASH ON 9TH SOUTH PROJECT COMMUNITY APPROVED
    Last year, the Liberty Wells Community Council was presented a project to combine the 2 different zonings of the Asian Market on 900 S.  It also has 2 popular restaurants on the westside.  During discussion on the 900 S. Rezone, the Liberty Wells Community Council approved the proposal based on their belief that the 900 South corridor is becoming a restaurant row.  The lack of parking for the restaurants Manoli's and Basalt is a constant City problem.  Great restaurants shouldn't be allowed without respectful parking; we have had this argument way too many times.  In addition, the 9 Line Trail is set to go on that side of 900 South and a real Trail should have some commercial restaurants (like Riverwalk) and not just be homes.  
  But the restaurant does not have parking on-site and the neighbors in the adjacent single family home neighborhood are upset with the non-resident parking that is constantly in their neighborhood.  So they organized a protest against the plan to join the 2 different zoning areas despite attempts, at the same time, by the landowners to keep the Asian Market.  Hundreds signed a protest petition and the project is now in front of the City Council.  The community that is against it may be more amenable if parking requirements for any businesses are appropriate and they do not impact the neighborhood.

SLC CHANGING FIRE CODES TO ALLOW MORE CYCLE TRACKS
  SLC Council is about to change the fire codes to allow more cycle tracks.  The fire code makes it difficult to set up ladder fire fighting trucks next to cycle tracks while fighting high rise fires.  I had an oped in the Deseret News many years ago that complained about it.  The SLC Fire Marshal was demoted due to her complaints about the impact on fire fighting (She later filed a lawsuit against the City.).  The SLC Fire Department was able to succeed in setting up a ladder truck after several tries along the 300 South cycle track.  
  But SLC does not acknowledge that the cycle tracks are not maintainable despite some employees agreeing that there are issues.  So SLC is continuing to push for more cycle tracks in the misplaced belief that they are great ideas.  If SLC really wanted to encourage bicycling, the City should install 10 foot wide bicycle lanes with paint and reduce the width of vehicle lanes.

SLC WANTS LOWER FENCES AND NO PRIVACY
  Salt Lake City is considering a new fence ordinance that requires maximum fence and hedge heights.  In many cases of high hedges that are needed for minimal privacy, the ordinance requires that the hedges and foilage be trimmed down!  After the big windstorm that decreased much of the greenery in Salt Lake, the City wants to cut down even more!  In addition, the City is pushing to increase density and encourage density (see RMF30 below) and the adjacent single family homeowners will want and demand higher hedges, including trees, to ensure their privacy.  This is a very bad ordinance that has questionable justifications.

CASE FOR WALKING PATROLS
  As I laid out in the recent SLTRIB commentary, many community councils want to see more police.  (September's Ballpark Community Council meeting with the Mayor and Chief heard more of the same - see below.)  
  Since the County is not providing enough jail space, DA funding and mental health care to keep drug dealers and violent criminals (usually with mental health issues) in jail, even when they have been arrested hundreds of times, the SLCPD are relegated to playing whack a mole.  A possible solution that should be tried for a few months, to see if it results in a better outcome, is to implement walking police patrols in high crime areas like 300 and 400 West, 1300 South, North Temple and State Street. 
  The officers can be the CIU officer, the beat officer and a social worker.  Even once a day will provide a lot of information about the issues, the crimes and solutions that could have a better chance of decreasing crime.  
  Some of these areas have had issues for many years.  I remember Chief Brown explaining the center of crime on State Street at 1300 South (used to be Wayne's Corner) in 2015! (see below to see the significant change after gambling machines were removed from the store).  Despite the lower crime reports, neighbors say that it has actually gotten much worse.  They are trying to close the alley.
  Although the patrol would not be able to spend a lot of time on ticketing or arresting, it would provide a lot of comfort to residents and businesses.  It would result in real community policing where the police and community members get to know each other.  The Jail is discouraging arrests anyway.  If arrests are needed, another patrol car can be called.  Several parks could use a visible police presence starting with Pioneer Park and Jefferson Park.  
  I am confident that results will be seen quickly and residents and businesses would appreciate the visible presence.  Again this would be a temporary measure to see if the problems are mitigated.
  I urge the City to start hiring officers now since it appears that we are losing 10 a month!  Many go to one of the 10 other law enforcement departments in the County.  (The Sheriff has the same problem - see below.)  This City has expressed interest in hiring more minorities and I urge the Council to consider a $10,000 annual bonus for fluency in a second targeted language (like Spanish).  A sign on bonus of $5000, for a new recruit at 6 months and another $5000 at 12 months would help attract more minority officer candidates.  Salary is an issue.  The $10,000 would also apply to other patrol officers.  
  I urge the City to engage with the County Mayor and County Council on appropriately funding the County Jail and DA.  The County budget is being written now and is being presented now (again see story below).  Without respectful funding, some of our SLC Police are arresting the same person almost 100 times!  (See the Jail Dashboard if you don't believe me - some have been arrested over 200 times!).  The County lack of funding is costing this City a lot of money.  
  I also remind the City, that the County cut mental health funding in half over 10 years ago.  The City should work with the County and Legislature to return funding to a more appropriate level.  The City should support the Legislature's efforts to increase the mental health therapists, psychiatrists, Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams and social workers provided by our universities.  We still need many more.
  Finally, I urge the City, the Mayor and the Council to ask if Dispatch and Police really need to ask those who are reporting crimes to report the race.  Race can be very subjective and actually encourage inappropriate police response.  I think a kid was accosted recently in another city because a crime report described his race.  The description should be the clothes that they are wearing.  Asking, encouraging and demanding that a crime report list the race of a reported criminal act may encourage inadvertent perceived racism.

CALIFORNIA FIRES BURN 4 TIMES UTAH BURNS COAL
  California has been trying to stop Utah from burning coal by offering to strengthen the electric grid through coordinating the almost 40 independent system operators (ISO) under California's CAISO.  The marching orders for CAISO, from the Legislature, is to stop Utah from burning coal.  Ironically, California's CAISO negligence in managing power, resulted in rolling blackouts.  That was separate from the forest fire threat that required blackouts.  CAISO was not implicated in the early 2000s California energy crisis but it was responsible for the questionable and unjustified rolling blackouts during a recent heat wave.
  Even more concerning is the inability of California to control forest fires in their State.  In 2020, through mid-September, the forest fires resulted in almost 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.  By comparison, Utah coal plants produce around 30 million tons CO2 a year.  By the end of the year, California will have produced around five times more CO2, than Utah!
  I think that it is ironic that California is fighting Utah burning coal when they should be more concerned with California burning much much, much more carbon fuels.  California can't even stop burning trees so they shouldn't be worried about how other states do business

WHO IS MORE IMPORTANT BICYCLISTS OR DRIVERS
  I keep hearing of pressure on Salt Lake City to stop encouraging personal vehicle travel by decreasing parking and reducing car lanes through road diets.  But a road diet by removing two lanes of traffic to help, at most a few hundred bicyclists, should be balanced against thousands of drivers who want and use the two lanes of traffic.  Each two lanes of road can carry almost 10,000 vehicles a day or around 15,000 people.  Even with our expanded interest in bicycling, much less than a thousand bicyclists would be expected to use the two lanes of traffic.  This would not meet a reasonable cost benefit analysis.

SLC ASKING ABOUT PARKING ON ONE SIDE OF STREET
  Over many community council meetings, the City has discussed the Typologies survey backlash.  Much of the backlash has focused on the neighborhood proposal that removes parking on one side of the street.  The City is emphasizing that this is going to result in a book of ideas and it is not a definite plan.
  The best idea was to encourage wider sidewalks but the reduction in speed limits to 10 to 30MPH is a concern along with decreased parking, more separated bike lanes and expensive transit projects.  That seemed to be a typical war on cars.
  The below are comments from a previous blog entry:
  The streetscape suggestions, in general are throwing in everything possible, especially expensive rail and BRT systems that will increase congestion and pollution.  One reason that UTA is ending the 35MAX BRT is that it is not successful.  The UVX BRT is successful due to it being free.
  The Typologies proposal proposes, in general, billions of projects for prettifying streets with separated bike lanes, streetcars, BRTs and 10 to 30MPH speeds!  I consider it a war on cars.  The only good thing about the proposal is that it has wider sidewalks but if a building has no setback and can go up 400 feet, it results in a canyon of concrete and steel and I think that discourages walking, even with 8-12 ft sidewalks (commercial shared street).
  Bus only lanes are inefficient use of space but we do need bus pullouts like on 400 South.  Unfortunately, UTA drivers often stay well into the street and force riders to step down (sometimes UTA adds an extra foot required to step down into the street.
  The dream of grand boulevards was tried on 500 South but the Legislature balked due to requiring private landowners to give up property (and car lots) to allow something like the 28 ft sidewalks in Paris.
  The lowering of speed limits, all less than 30MPH would seem to increase congestion and many would think of it as a war on cars.
  Rail and streetcars are not efficient!!! It seems to be a big excuse to spend money.  The three proposed ones in Salt Lake City would cost local taxpayers almost a half billion dollars!  The 132' urban street should not have any rail.  The only rail lines that are successful are to destinations (I know since I worked on one in San Diego.)
  The maintenance of separated bike lanes on almost all streets is not realistic.  Bicyclists would rather have 10 ft wide bike lanes with plenty of room to make emergency maneuvers.
  Destination streets are 20MPH.  Destination thoroughfares are 25MPH.  Residential streets are reduced to 15mph which is essentially a war on cars!
  If the recent protests are having any effect, why waste money (almost a billion!) on fancy projects when we need affordable housing more.  
  The proposed (and set in stone) 200 S BRT is going to cost $67 million which, if used for replacing impact fees for 2000 affordable units, and encouraging them, is a better use of millions.
  Where is there a possibility for a shared neighborhood street?  After dark, without commercial lighting, residential streets are dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists.  We should not be expecting streets to be safe for pedestrians or bicycles after dark (don't tell kids to go out and play in the street after dark).
  I can't think of an urban village street.  All of these typologies should have examples to tell everyone the realistic plans so they can see what is really going to happen.
  There should be a cost for each of these proposals by block, including the "green loop".  Financial considerations should be important for governments.  
  Some older and limited people have difficulty getting to bus stops via separated bike lanes.  The City is actually making it harder to navigate City streets while older.  It encourages older people to move to the suburbs where people can cross a street without an obstacle course.
  The urban street has a raised bikelane and is shared?
  How about starting with State Street which needs form based zoning, wider sidewalks, a 10 minute regular bus with bus pullouts and bike lanes (after removing the useless center median).
  This looks like an excuse to spend over a billion dollars that would be better used in inclusionary form based, mixed use, mixed income buildings on commercial corridors like State Street and North Temple.

500 E PAVING NOW
  The 500 East reconstruction project is finishing faster than I thought.  Some workers told me that water line issues slowed the project and they may not finish until after winter.  But further efforts have resulted in much of the street finishing the project and paving should be done by November 1.  Local traffic is allowed now on the initial pavement layer.  The project is now scheduled to be complete by December 31.
  One big complaint was the pounding required to install safety supports for excavations.  The areas near 2100 South were significantly impacted and were complaining.  That area also seemed to be impacted by the recent Magna earthquake.  The area has soil that is looser than other nearby areas.  If there are continuing issues, please call the City's Engineering Department at 801-535-7961 or email them at enggineeringinfo@slcgov.com.

HIGHLAND DRIVE RECONSTRUCTION WAITING UNTIL 2023
  After many complained that there are several competing projects around Highland Drive in Sugar House, the City slowed down some of the projects so that they wouldn't tear up the planned reconstructed street.  Canal reconstruction, several commercial buildings' construction, a curb and gutter project around the Post Office, and other projects seemed to require multiple excavation of the street and sidewalks.  The City realized the problem and has tried to put off the Highland Drive reconstruction until 2023.  Millcreek was originally pushing Salt Lake City to reconstruct Highland with Millcreek within the next year.

NOISE ORDINANCE
  During discussion at the Legislature's Business and Labor Interim Committee on September 15, Rep. Jim Dunnigan had a hearing on noise complaints mainly generated by the Big Cottonwood Canyon residents.   After the meeting, I had an offline discussion with legislators about how to actually enforce the laws.  It appears that Rep. Dunnigan wants to, and was encouraged to sponsor a bill to: "One solution may be to amend statute to strengthen "fix it" ticket - shift burden to offender - require that they take vehicle in to have exhaust inspected and noise level measured as condition to have ticket dismissed - just an idea."  In the case of Rep. Dunnigan's efforts (he represents Taylorsville), he is getting a lot of complaints about street racing vehicles that remove or disable mufflers.
  The best arguments for a better noise ordinance are the negative impact on residents at night, especially in assisted living centers with minimal staffing at night.  When every resident is awake (from a loud motorcycle) with only two staffers, there is increased chance of a medical emergency.  Also, veterans with PTSD also are seriously impacted.  And children and babies.  This is like a fireworks show and guns going off constantly going down the street.  The State could try to restrict operation late at night, as we do with airport operation but that requires a further discussion. 
  During discussion, there was a question about how the old Greek amphitheaters were able to play to over ten thousand attendees.  After the meeting, we discussed how.  Greek amphitheaters actually focused the voices' higher frequencies (and absorbed the lower crowd noise frequencies through corrugated limestone seats), instead of dissipating the voices.  
  There is a chance that bricks may have inadvertently had the corrugation necessary to decrease the lower frequencies and effectively make the higher frequencies seem louder by bouncing them back at some of the legislators who complained about it.  It happened with some of the UDOT noise wall installation on I215 in the Eastbench of SLCO.  The walls actually reflected Wasatch Blvd vehicle noise east towards homes and increased noise to be perceived to be louder than from the freeway.  Noise normally wouldn't be amplified.  But instead of dissipating, it would be reflected and the perceived noise would be greater.  You could say it is amplified at your ear but not at the source.  Perceived noise is greater when between flat surfaces or buildings than between two rows of trees, even when the source is creating the same amount of noise.  
  Rep. Dunnigan is in a tight and competitive race in his area and intends to sponsor a bill on noise complaints if he is re-elected.

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ISSUES 
  During this months Interim Committee hearings, there was another push to make the nuclear plant that is being proposed to supply power to Utah municipalities look like the best thing since sliced bread.  They call it carbon free to market it but it is still a pipe dreams since, in my mind, it is just starting to be designed.  There is still a lot to be settled.  The NRC accepted the preliminary designs with several concerns about safety.  These include boron dilution caused by the boron in water concentration may become too low after passing through the heat exchanger and it may result in a runaway reaction.  Other issues include the fact that the new proposed emergency coolant valves have not been confirmed to be able to be operated in an emergency.  Unexpected oscillations and vibrations have not been accounted for.  A future updated probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) also will be needed to account for these issues.
  As a former nuclear engineer, I love nuclear power.  This is a great project for research and development but the federal government should pay for all of it until the research is done (in at least 10 years).  This project is important to keep America's technology edge in nuclear.  Even China, with its 48 operating nuclear reactors uses American nuclear engineers to start up their new reactors.
  But Utah municipalities should not be committing to this project without a review of contracts by the State Treasurer.  I think that these municipal commitments are way too early.

SEWER BREAKS BY GOOGLE FIBER
  We have received many complaints that Google Fiber has broken water and sewer pipes in their efforts to expand Google Fiber throughout the City.  The company was given almost universal access and permission to dig up any part of the City.  If there are problems that could be caused by utility work, please call Salt Lake City Engineering Department at: 801-535-7961 or email them at enggineeringinfo@slcgov.com.

UTA BRT COSTING $100 MILLION FOR 2000 RIDERS
  Each lane of regular road traffic can take 10,000 vehicles a day without congestion.  The projected ridership on the planned BRTs is around 2000 for a $100 million project (South Davis) and they take up a lane.  That is not financially reasonable.  I put the list of proposed BRT projects in the right hand downloads section.  
  The South Davis BRT project is being driven by Davis County which wants to use their new SB136 tax money for it.  Salt Lake City is also supporting it with approval, several years ago of the preferred route and spending $400,000 on a transit facility near 700 East and 200 South where the BRT is scheduled to go.  Salt Lake wants it to go to the University of Utah via 200 South.
  Right now, UTA is completing the EIS to be finished in 2021.  The next steps are engineering and design and filling in the funding gaps.  UTA is trying to get the federal government to fund most of it but that is an optimistic wish.  The project, is supported by the University of Utah and their hope is that it will eventually go south on Foothill.  But again, it does not make financial sense.
  For updates, see:
https://www.rideuta.com/about-UTA/active-projects/Davis-SLC-commuunity-connector

INCREASING DENSITY BY ENCOURAGING DEMOLITION OF HOUSING
   Salt Lake City is proposing an infill ordinance for RMF30 zoning that increases density by encouraging demolition of existing housing!  Community activist Cindy Cromer was able to give the City Council a reality check on the proposal.  That resulted in a big discussion by the Council on if it will be a benefit and actually increase affordable housing.  Darin Mano likes it but Amy Fowler said that RMF30 will not provide more affordable housing and she expects her rental to be demolished if this passes.  The Council mentioned 700 East but that street is too busy and higher speed to increase housing while maintaining vehicle safety.  300 West, State Street, North Temple and Redwood Road should have more housing in mixed use, mixed income developments.  Andrew Johnston pointed out 80% of SLC is manufacturing or industrial that does not allow housing.  This City should consider allowing more housing in those areas.  When the City approved their Northwest Quadrant Plan (now the Inland Port), we complained that there was no housing in the Plan.  
  The City plans public hearings on October 6, 2020 and Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at 7 p.m.
  BuildingSaltLake.com has a great story on the issue.  It is also a great resource for Salt Lake City development story is at:
https://www.buildingsaltlake.com/more-missing-middle-zoning-coming-to-slc-city-council-debates-densification-with-anxiety-about-displacement-and-preservation/

SLCO COUNCIL ADOPTING ADU ORDINANCE
  Salt Lake County is adopting a new ADU ordinance to increase housing through expanding allowable ADUs.  I am against the proposal.  I am against the proposed ADU ordinance because it could make housing costlier and increase pollution.  Note that I also argued against the Legislature's Interim hearing last month on ADUs.
  Rezoning to higher density for areas that have mostly single family homes should be banned.  Single family zoned areas should be protected.  Ballpark, with significant effort, succeeded in downzoning a significant portion of their area a few years ago.  That is what they wanted. 
  Single room occupancy developments should be banned until crime magnet motels are successfully stopped.  Note that the second biggest draw on medical response in SLC is Palmer Court.  Studies show that mixed income is psychologically and sociologically better for residents of apartments.  SROs tend to encourage and enable SUDs and criminal activity.  The term Cabrini Green should never be forgotten.
  ADUs are not the solution for affordable housing.  SLC has found that many ADU applicants are planning to use or HAVE USED Airbnb (In one case 5 separate rooms have been rented!).  Since Utah has interceded for Airbnb, despite requiring other services to tax and list their sales, and Airbnb customers are secret, there is no ability to police/enforce ADU ordinances.  
  ADUs with Airbnb actually decrease affordable housing if there are not proper limits and effective enforcement. 
  I agree with appropriate form based mixed income, mixed use and inclusionary zoning (impact fees can be used to enforce).
  Not enough parking has been a consistent problem with new ADUs.  Noise has not been as bad since, supposedly, but questionably illegal, cites have required owners to occupy on part of the property.
  An ADU can cost $50,000 to over $100,000.  In one case, the required sewer line cost alone was $18,000.  Fire fighting concerns are significant since shrubs and trees can create impenetrable barriers.  
  As I have said many times over the years, State Street has the best chance of providing a real energizing and effective affordable housing solution for the Valley.  Redwood Road may also but the Road may require widening.  Encouragement of mixed income, mixed use housing in the State Street area, can easily, in the opinion of SLC RDA staff, provide for over 2000 additional housing units.  I believe that it can be triple that.  Unfortunately, SLC seems to be planning to spend their CRA/RDA funds on prettifying the State Street road instead of implementing a form based code.
  The SLCO Council should not make the affordable housing crisis worse by adopting this ordinance without further consideration of the unintended consequences.  Worse case will encourage homeowners who want a less dense neighborhood to move further out into the suburbs and increase congestion and air pollution.

SLTRIB OPED WITHOUT FACTS, SLC DOES NOT HAVE INCLUSIONARY ZONING
   A few weeks ago, an acquaintance of mine had an oped in the Salt Lake Tribune suggesting that it is good for Salt Lake to encourage infill and demolition of under-utilized single family home zoned neighborhoods.  I disagree vigorously.  He happens to live in one of the few if not only mixed income developments in Sugar House.  But, as much as the Sugar House Community Council has fought over the last 10 years for more affordable housing, that was it.  The main problem is the lack of inclusionary zoning in the area.  The City Council dropped consideration almost 2 years ago (despite the claim that Salt Lake should be congratulated for inclusionary zoning).  
  The City also has only 20% of land for residential use and instead of expanding it, they are going after the most difficult way of increasing housing, single family home neighborhoods.  That creates battles that slow down expansion of housing.  I have watched for decades, from 1980, fights against rezoning (several of the biggest fights here in Sugar House) and trying to increase zoning density in these areas results in major fights (In one case the exasperated City sent out a pamphlet called Life, the Universe and Sugar House to counter our arguments.)  Battles are not needed.  Housing is needed.
  The City is responsible for not building enough housing.  Six years ago, I complained about the lack of 7500 affordable units in an oped and the City has since actually decreased them!  They buy affordable housing; kick out low income and try to redevelop by spending millions without result.  (The City just approved a rezone on Richmond that will kick out low income renters!  The City OWNS 7 of 15 acres in the Rio Grande area, mostly vacant for decades.  The City has targeted North Temple and State Street development for over 10 years (CRA decision was in 2014!) with minimal impact.  Note that the residents of Ballpark fought successfully to downzone much of their area to protect single family housing.  That is evidence of the battle trying to increase density in single family areas.
  Another important issue is the lack of stores and services in the middle of these areas.  My argument that low income/mixed income housing in the middle of a single family area is an insult to many who do not have cars and must walk a mile to a store.  I have done several opeds on that issue.
  The City's policy is supposed to be mixed income, mixed use when it comes to higher density but they always ignore that.  
  You want more housing quickly?  Stop fighting battles trying to rezone single family areas (which have resulted in many historic district designations), and focus on the commercial corridors that need redevelopment (including Redwood Rd).  
  Instead of spending hundreds of millions on fancy pretty monuments to our elected officials like rail lines, use the money to encourage mixed income housing.  Rails and BRT are not successful except to universities and downtown.  Note that UTA finally acknowledged that the UTA BRT on 35th South doesn't work and is closed.  Now how do we get the unused 2 lanes.  
  The S-Line DID NOT increase development (another old oped).  The open space in the area did (according to SLC Planning).   It had 1300 passengers a day before Covid and only 650 a day now and it will go down even more when the refugees are disrespectfully kicked out of the 500 S. apartments.  The City promised 5000 a day 5 years ago!  Hundreds of millions in local taxpayer funding could be, should be and would be better spent on encouraging mixed use, mixed income housing.
  I want affordable mixed use, mixed income housing NOW.  Fighting battles with homeowners is not a good strategy.  They are fighting for their homes.  If they  fail, they will move to Heber and clog up I80 even more.  SLC can but seems clueless.

911 AUDIT ISSUES
This is my presentation to the Legislature on Salt Lake City's 911 Audit.  Note that I complained about not enough use of MCOT for mental health issues and too many 911 transfers (40% of 911 transfers in the State are in this County).  I should also note that Lisa Burnette, the Director of SLC 911 Dispatch, has significantly increased 911 effectiveness since she took over a couple of years ago.  She also responded to the presentation by saying that she hopes to eliminate 911 transfers in the County within 10 months.
  My presentation:
  Matrix Consulting Group conducted an audit of Salt Lake City Dispatch and reported these results in March 2019.  This is a down in the dirt analysis of 911.
  Dispatchers were paid about $15 per hour which resulted in a cost to the City of almost $50,000 for each new hire.  
  The City tried to lower their cost by using PBX operators but it resulted in poor customer service since they couldn’t take crime reports.  
  The Audit recommended that only trained and certified dispatchers answer phones (as the UCA 911 Audit recommended).  
  An additional 21 employees are recommended but it would be a significant burden to the City.  The UCA Audit mentioned cost of dispatchers is an issue. 
  The Audit found that “While The 911 Center Processes Calls Efficiently, The Time Elapsed from Call-Taking to Dispatch of Field Units Is Often Excessive.
  90% of calls are answered within 10  seconds, but only 93.5% of calls are answered within 20 seconds.
  Time to dispatch can be over 700 seconds.  Part of the problem is the inflexible script and not allowing trained dispatchers to use common sense.  
  The average time to send a call to dispatch is 139 seconds.   
  It can take almost 10 minutes for 10% of the priority one calls to be sent to officers on patrol by dispatch! 
(ONE BIG REASON FOR THE SLOW POLICE RESPONSE IS NOT ENOUGH COPS!)
Ten minutes was the median reported wait time for services to arrive while the average was one hour (page 59 of 911 audit)!  
"SLC customers reported a median wait time of 15 minutes for officers to arrive, compared to 10 minutes for Sandy City customers."
  The SLC CAD/RMS (Versadex) system should allow patrol officers to view Fire/EMS calls as they occur.  
  Each agency has access only to the CAD cases generated for their agency, and the two are not integrated to provide visibility between the fire and police departments and adjacent/across the street units.  UCA can set standards for equipment to do this.
  The new Mobile Mental Crisis Outreach Team is still not operating effectively in our urban areas.  Unfortunately, many 911 systems are not passing callers to the MCOT number and service and coordinating response with them.  In addition, lights and sirens decrease the effectiveness of MCOT.
  For residents near the Salt Lake City and Sandy boundaries, they often find that their 911 cell phone calls end up going to the wrong 911 Dispatch Center Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC)!  
  The best solution is to combine the multiple Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) but there is resistance to combining PSAPs as noted in the UCA Audit.
  According to the that Audit, 40% of this State's 911 call transfers occurred in Salt Lake County.
  This is more than a medical issue.  Drug dealers and package thieves like doing business near a border since they can quickly be in another dispatch area within a minute and essentially get away with it.
  The State Audit said "rapid response should be the core goal of all public safety providers”.
  UCA does not have the influence to force 911 centers to combine and reduce the “needlessly redundant communications infrastructure”.  Only the Legislature has the ability and influence to do this.
  I urge this Legislature to consider studying what it will take to force the PSAPs to combine as Weber and Morgan County did and make the 911 system, law enforcement and medical and fire response work as it should in Utah.  

IZZY SOUTH PROJECT WILL DESTROY 21ST SOUTH
  The SLC Planning Commission is hearing a project on 2100 S that I discussed several months ago.  The comments below are what I said in July:
SLC ABOUT TO APPROVE CONGESTION ON 2100 S
  There is a project proposal for 2100 South between 500 and 600 East (there is a project on the north and south side of the street) called High Boy Izzy South project that destroys 2100 S. traffic throughput.  It adds 4 driveways onto 2100 South!
  The proposed project (Case number PLNPCM2020-00222) adds driveways to 2100 South and decreases safety for pedestrians and bicyclists due to the encouragement of more traffic exiting and entering the project from 2100 South (4+ driveways).
  It effectively destroys a major east west bicycle route and does not increase sidewalk width.  Left hand turns are 3 times more likely to kill or severely injure pedestrians and bicyclists.  Senior citizens are most at risk of being killed in a left hand turn.  Median age of bicyclists and pedestrians killed by left hand turns is 67 years old.  36% of all accidents occur during a turn.  And left hand turns are two times more fatal than right hand turns.
  The buildings should have ground floor retail to encourage mixed use which was what the area's last major rezone planned (the Sugar House Streetcar Form Based Zoning).  The design effectively creates a zombie building.  That encourages unwalkable areas since the ground floor is closed to pedestrians.
  Adding entrances and exits onto major arterials like 2100 South will back up traffic and increase air pollution on a road that is maxed out at almost 18,000 ADT.  The result will be like the Chick A Fil restaurant (1200 East) that backs up eastbound traffic on 2100 S during evening rush hour.  Poor planning effectively increases pollution in that case and it is also part of this plan. 
  Due to the significant danger to pedestrians and bicyclists that this project creates, I urge Planning to find that it should not be approved.  I would not be so against this project if all of the exits and entrances were on 600 East and 500 East which have much less traffic.  This project, as planned, will kill.

RDA WANTS TO WASTE MONEY ON HISTORIC MATTRESS BUILDING??!!
  The Salt Lake City RDA is considering spending almost a million dollars to try to save the so called historic Mattress Company that occupies 3.92 acres!  The building should not be saved, but demolished.  The $865,000 cost would be and should be better used to encourage mixed income housing in the area by paying developers' impact fees.  In addition, developers seem to be more interested in maximizing land by building higher buildings.  An old 3 story structure would be out of place in a high intensity, mixed use, mixed income area that Station Center is supposed to become.  There is no guarantee that another earthquake, even a minor one, will not collapse the building, even after trying to stabilize it.  The Salt Lake City and County Building was stabilized but still received major damage after the Magna, minor and far away, earthquake.  This is similar to UTA's efforts to try to save the so called historic locomotive building which, after costing over a million (I believe), turned out to be impossible to save.

COSTS OF TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECTS
  For those interested in the cost of traffic calming projects, this is what the City is budgeting for each of these projects: 
HAWK Beacons cost $150,000, RRFBs are about $12,000
Bulb outs and median refuge islands are $20,000-40,000
Raised crosswalks are about $8000
The average cost for major enhancements at a crosswalk come in around $100,000 per crossing
The City budgets for and allows up to 6 crosswalk projects per year.

FEDS DON'T WANT CAMERAS
  The US Marshall's Service works with and pays overtime for local police to assist in pursuing and apprehending violent fugitives.  Except in several "test" cities like Salt Lake City, the Service does not allow bodycams to be operating.  The DA Sim Gill has complained about this.  I agree with the DA in that all federal use of force actions should require bodycam use.  Although it is expensive, the federal government has the money to use bodycams.  My takeaway from the policy, is that federal law enforcement does not trust the public to see what they do and how they do it.  I agree with Sim Gill that it is wrong and it makes law enforcement look bad.  Sim Gill did not know about the test policy that allows SLCPD personnel to use bodycams.  But he is absolutely right that all law enforcement should use bodycams.  
  Sim Gill was not given the facts by the US Marshall's service about the shooting of the Filian shooting in February.  A dog had pinned the criminal to the ground but he had a gun when he was shot by law enforcement.  One of the bullets hit Filian while he was on the ground pinned by a police dog, Hondo.  But the bullet went through Filian and was deflected by the ground back through Filian and it hit Hondo, killing him.
  I consider the DA, Sim Gill, to be the most ethical public servant that I know.  I also know that many law enforcement personnel, including in this case, try not to be interviewed by the DA.  If they had been interviewed and Sim Gill was allowed to do his job and get the full information about the shooting, he would have the correct information instead of being forced to guess what happened.
  Sim Gill is right about everything involving this case.  ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE USING BODYCAMS.  They usually keep law enforcement from being falsely accused of inappropriate behavior.

COTTONWOOD CANYONS EIS GETS ONLY 6500 COMMENTS
  I put the LCC EIS FAQ report in the downloads.  It lists most of the questions asked with answers.  Note that the EIS only got about 6500 comments.

RESEARCH PARK PLANS GET COMMUNITY PUSHBACK
  The University of Utah is proposing a new high intensity development in Research Park, possibly in coordination with the SLC RDA (who discussed it several months ago and is considering creating an RDA CRA expansion area for it.  The plans include lots of residential units, and commercial and office space such that it will become a fully contained town with restaurants and stores.  The goal is to allow people to live and work on the project's land.  But surrounding communities are concerned about the significant increase in traffic on Foothill that it would create.  Although there are plans to extend the TRAX line to Research Park, there is no other real proposal to decrease traffic on Foothill.  The community councils in the area are complaining about the project.  The project can be found at https://realestate.utah.edu/research-park-vision-plan/

SHERIFF CAN'T KEEP JAIL PERSONNEL, 184 BEDS STILL VACANT
  I put the County Sheriff's budget proposal in the downloads section on the right.  The most important takeaway is that the County continues to not fund a real jail by keeping 184 beds vacant.  So only felony 1 and 2 criminals are able to be booked into jail.  No other criminals are accepted by the jail!  
  I need to emphasize this:  THE SALT LAKE COUNTY JAIL WILL NOT ACCEPT MOST ARRESTED CRIMINALS!  There are some exceptions with child molesters and domestic violence but in general, even when booked, most are released within a day.  That is why there are so many criminals on the street committing crimes and being shot by cops, in my opinion.




AUGUST 28, 2020
SLCPD NEEDS FUNDING PUBLISHED/CLUELESS COMMENTERS 
SLC PUBLIC UTILITIES' COMPUTERS STOLEN
BALLPARK INVITES HOMELESS SINCE PARK RESTROOMS CLOSED
BALLPARK'S JEFFERSON PARK IS NEW DRUG MARKET 
SYSTEMIC LACK OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN RIO GRANDE COUNTY WIDE
SINGLE FAMILY ZONING NOT CAUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS
UTA STILL PUSHING FAILED BRTS/FRONTRUNNER INSTEAD OF HIGHWAYS
HIGHLAND DRIVE ABOUT TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION HELL
SLC FENCE HEIGHT CHANGE DESTROYS PRIVACY AND GREENERY
500 EAST ABOUT TO BECOME ANOTHER BICYCLE BYWAY!
STATE STREET EFFORTS TO LOWER SPEEDS TO 20MPH
SUGARMONT APARTMENTS WHITE ELEPHANT COMPLETION SUMMER 2021?
A CHEAPER WAY TO ENCOURAGE COP BODY CAMS
POLICE POLICIES SHOULD BE WITH PUBLIC HEARINGS 
SLC MAKES DIGITAL EQUITY WORSE WITH FANCY WEBSITES
BRICKYARD STACK APARTMENTS
JOHN BROWNING CONNECTION TO PALACIOS SHOOTING
COULD FORMER SHERIFF JIM WINDER BE NEW SLC POLICE CHIEF
BONNEVILLE SHORELINE TRAIL PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR SALE $8 MIL
RAPE KITS STILL TAKE 90 DAYS!
OXIMETERS DETECT COVID 19 INFECTIONS BETTER THAN THERMOMETERS
SLC CONTINUES EXTENDING TRANSIT SERVICE ON 9, 21 AND 2 ROUTES
SLC FIRE CODE ADDRESSES 300S CYCLE TRACK CONCERNS FINALLY
JUST ONE COMMENT ON TAX HEARING DESPITE $1000 INCREASES
CWC STILL PUSHING $2 BILLION RAIL UP LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS PROTESTS HELP POLICE CHIEF KEEP HIS JOB
UOFU RESEARCH PARK PLANS

SLCPD NEEDS MORE FUNDING PUBLISHED/CLUELESS COMMENTERS 
  The SLTrib just published my commentary on the need to increase the Police budget.  It is at https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2020/08/27/george-chapman-salt-lake/
A lot of it repeats the concerns of many meetings over the last few months about the decreasing public safety in many areas.  I go into more detail below.  Although I generally do not read comments on my opeds, I have heard that there seem to be a large number of commenters online that are clueless and even laughably dumb.  I started writing opinion pieces about homeless and the lack of focus on helping them about 10 years ago.  An old homeless man was carrying all of his belongings in a shopping cart and had just bought a carton of eggnog to celebrate Thanksgiving the next day.  He was run over by the 455 bus on 400 South.  (The 455 bus is infamous due to the 2 hour route that is mind numbing for drivers.  A 455 bus also killed Mr. Downtown.  The lights on 400 South, controlled by UDOT were part of the problem but UDOT has been on top of it.  UDOT has been very responsive on traffic signal concerns.)  
  My first writing/published on homeless was about how it was a sad commentary on our society that his death, on Thanksgiving Eve 2010, got only a one paragraph story in just one paper.  I started investigating why and discovered many issues.  Over the last 10 years, I have pushed the issues with commentaries in the papers, comments to the City and County Councils, the Legislature and running for office.  The lack of medical care, mental health and effective drug/SUDS treatment, the lack of appropriate jail space (to keep drug dealers from encouraging the homeless to become addicts), the SLCO cutting mental health care in half over ten years ago, all of it a sad commentary on our society.  Anyone who is complaining about my commentary on the need for more Police funding is clueless.  
  Where were you when I and many others were fighting for more mental health and drug treatment (with Healthy Utah)?  Where were you when the drug dealers were not kept in jail and returned to addict more homeless?  Almost ten years ago, the County repurposed the $9.4 million from the jail bond that was paid off and claimed to use it for Pay for Success drug treatment.  But, at best, if it works, the County only pays $11.7 million!  What about the almost $100 million that could have been used for more jail drug and mental health treatment?  Did you complain?  We did.  You didn't.  
  Over 5 years ago, many of us realized that the homeless were targeted with tickets that added up so fast that they became warrants.  This led to hassling by Police which they were also frustrated by.  Some cops complained that they were told to arrest the same individual, over a hundred times!  The system was not working then and it is not working now.  So when you start throwing insults my way because you just started reading about these issues, if you really care, read the rest of this blog.  There is a download of over 5 years of blogs with many commentary links.  Or Google George Chapman and Sltrib.com or Deseret.com and add homeless or jail or drugs or addiction or treatment.  You will see a lot of what you are missing.  Get educated on these issues.  We need more who care and can push these issues, not just fling clueless insults.  

SLC PUBLIC UTILITIES' COMPUTERS STOLEN
  As I mentioned in the commentary on Police funding, the SLC Public Utilities Office was broken into and they had a lot of IPads and IPhones stolen.  They were used by the project engineers for construction projects so no customer information was at risk.  All were locked and traceable.  But it is a sign of the general crime increase in the Ballpark neighborhood.  Many other areas of the City are having similar issues.  Fox13Now has had several stories on the Ballpark and North Temple (Aug 24) crime increases.

BALLPARK INVITES HOMELESS SINCE PARK RESTROOMS CLOSED
  The Smiths Ballpark parking lot is now the homeless camp for Salt Lake City.  The portable toilets are attracting them even though they are not enough to service the influx of homeless campers.  
  During a recent City Council meeting (I may be repeating this from a previous blog entry but it shows the concern of the Councilmembers about the crime issues in the area.), the Council was told that homeless camp enforcement was stopped at the end of July due to physical threats to health inspectors.  Councilwoman Valdemoros and Councilman Mano both said that the camps are getting worse.  Mano said that the situation is approaching uncontrollable.  Chief of Staff for the Mayor, Rachel Otto, agreed that the neighborhood needs relief but where do the homeless go.  The Council suggested expanding Advantage Services contract and Andrew Johnston suggested using the City's facade money for fencing Ballpark.  Councilman James Rogers wants more cameras and fencing.  Again, Advantage Services charges the City $80 per biowaste cleanup and if on private property, the City will pay $40 of it and require the property owner to pay the other $40.  
  Maybe the City should pay all of it since they  are making the problem worse.  Or, better yet, put the portable toilets around the County Administration Buildings on 2100 South State Street.  A lot of this is their problem and they are responsible for it.  Refusing to keep the drug dealers and other serious criminals locked up due to lack of public safety funding is their fault (although there is an argument that the State is responsible for their unfunded mandate to decrease Prison bed use).

BALLPARK'S JEFFERSON PARK IS NEW DRUG MARKET 
  Again, the City is trying to address the issues in Ballpark, recently well reported by Fox13now, and one story that they did was on Jefferson Park which is owned by Public Utilities since it is used as an overflow for storm water.  As the meeting last month pointed out, and summarized in the Fox13 story, drug sales are a regular occurrence and homeless camping and car traffic is constant.  Advantage Services goes in once a day and picks up lots of needles.  The City promised two new directed lights last month and installed one within 2 weeks!  The City will modify them if nearby residents find that they are shining into their homes.  The City successfully did the same in Fairmont Park and adjacent neighbors loved it.  The fast response was due to labelling it street lighting which means it is approved almost immediately.
  The first priority is lighting and the next priority is cameras.  The Park hours should be 5 am to 11 pm.  There is consideration of off leash hours or 5-8 am and 5 to 8 pm like Wasatch Hollow.  The significant overtime used for protests is making it difficult to find Police who can be paid the overtime to function as Park Rangers.  The City is also considering a path/sidewalk to encourage public use.  Also, the City is encouraging a Friends of Jefferson Park group, hopefully within the Ballpark Community Council.

SYSTEMIC LACK OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN RIO GRANDE AND COUNTY WIDE
  My commentary on increasing Police funding was also based on Pioneer Park Coalition meetings, not just Ballpark and other community councils.  The Pioneer Park Coalition meeting asked for Police walking patrols and Chief Brown said that the SLCPD Bike Squad was just released from their assignments at the protests.  The head of the Cicero Group had his very expensive bike stolen by a brazen thief who climbed up to get to it.  The UHP has stopped their Rio Grande operations but they still work on high utilizer criminals (the worst of the worst) along with narcotics enforcement.  SLCPD had, at times, 172 officers assigned to protests.  There is a general feeling by police that even felony arrests get out of jail in 4 hours which emboldens criminals.  The SLCO Jail population is down 30%.  In 9 months, the Rio Grande area had 200 cases brought and 130 of those were felonies.  Note that the 3rd drug possession is a felony.  Unfortunately, most seem to be dismissed or not prosecuted fully.
  The Chief said that Bike Squad cops can walk, drive or bike and that they will consider working with business owners to find an efficient system.  He acknowledged that with more crime, people stop calling.  Many stated that they have felt that the Police were not responsive for years and that calling does not make a difference.  Note that the City stopped using PBX operators ($1 an hour cheaper than dispatchers) who were not able to take crime reports and discouraged them.
  The Kem Gardner Institute has a $150,000 study to determine the issues.  So far, the data shows that out of 4000 arrested, one third were never arrested again but the rest were arrested an average of 6 times!!
   Pamela Ackinson also chimed in with her effort to provide new SRO, single room occupancy buildings.  She is trying to get them in the Pioneer Park area.  But she is also pushing SLC to legalize and encourage them Citywide.  We have been fighting those efforts since the City has not solved the crime magnet problems with the similar to SRO, low cost motels on State Street and North Temple.  The last SRO closed was due to a killing by a resident.  SROs have a bad reputation as a crime magnet.  On the other hand, a mixed income residential building makes more sense and is recommended.  The City is supposed to have a policy encouraging mixed income to discourage encouraging criminal and drug behavior.  Another example of the issues involved in SROs is Palmer Court, essentially an SRO.  It is the second biggest draw on SLC medical response after the Rio Grande area.  SROs are not a solution to the affordable housing crisis.

SINGLE FAMILY ZONING IS NOT CAUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS
  Personally, I am against trying to solve our affordable housing crisis with ADUs.  Encouraging redeveloping major commercial corridors can provide much more mixed use mixed income housing faster with blanket form based zoning.  Unfortunately, in SLC, we have been going around in circles for almost 6 years in providing more housing in the State Street area, the biggest housing potential according to RDA staff.  The City has also mostly left vacant, for over ten years almost 7 of 15 acres by the Rio Grande homeless services.  The City left the old Police building/the Pipeline building vacant for almost 10 years and only recently agreed to a low income housing development with Cowboy Partners.  The City thought they could provide better affordable housing on State Street between 200 and 300 South and evicted almost a hundred low income and, even after almost ten years, will still not have replaced the housing!  
  The Legislature had a recent discussion in Interim Committee about ADU and implied that they would be the answer to providing affordable housing.  Also, this next week, the County Council will take up an ADU ordinance!  The reality is that ADUs can cost between $50,000 to over $100,000.  A sewer line to a backyard can cost almost $20,000 which result in ADU cost over $100,000.  Reducing impact fees for inclusionary zoning would have a bigger effect.   The effort to increase housing through ADUs is creating some results that actually seem to be reducing affordable housing and may actually increase housing costs.    
  In a home that a family of 5 or 6 used to be rented for $1500 per month, with Airbnb, can now be rented for almost $3000 a month by renting rooms and even the whole home.  Although cheaper than a hotel, it destroys the ability of families to afford housing.  It actually, to me, discourages families and discourages having kids.  Without affordable housing, I believe that families are discouraged.  This State should be encouraging long term relationships and families.
  Unfortunately, municipalities are not able to determine Airbnb users that may be misusing the system and renting for less than 30 days and when ADU applications are received, they are usually approved, even when the applicant is renting 5 rooms in their homes.  Any ADU ordinance should ban any use of Airbnb or similar service.  Unfortunately, SLC, despite predictions of problems, did not do it.
  The Legislature should require Airbnb to report all use of their system, which is inadvertently increasing housing costs since cities cannot ensure that the Utah laws are being followed.  Utah allows Airbnb to use the honor system to pay taxes instead of requiring the service, and I want to emphasize that it is an internet service, that should require reporting individual address use for taxes and code enforcement.
  ADUs are inadvertently creating pressure to create more historic districts to protect single family home neighborhoods.  A large  issue is some cities decrease parking requirements and discourage car use and are not able to ensure following code requirements.  
  I encourage the Legislature to require internet services like Airbnb to report ALL addresses and homeowners using their services.  Theoretically, the State Tax Commission can do it now with the sense of the Legislature.  The Legislature can also eliminate impact fees for a 20-30% affordable setaside, which could save a developer a half million in up front impact fees for a 200 unit apartment
  I still think that the SLC proposal for zoning affordable housing is considering too many single family home areas for the increase in density.  Although I haven't mentioned in my blogs and opeds, I have fought increasing residents that have no cars in areas that are single family areas that have no commercial store or restaurant access without a car.  These are generally assisted living/nursing homes whose residents would like to walk to (hopefully within a block) stores (I know some.).  But that argument also applies to an "equity in housing" since putting in affordable housing in a single family area without access to stores, in my opinion, treats low income individuals and families disrespectfully.  I want increased housing on State and North Temple and have continued to fight for it for almost ten years at the City, County and Legislature.  But, SLC RDA has continued to ignore State for almost 5 years AFTER agreeing to make it an RDA expansion CRA.  I remember an oped pushing for it over 5 years ago.  (AND I want to get rid of the car lots like Sunrise Auto to increase walkability but Garff and other car lot dealers have a lot of influence in Utah).
  Bottom line:  Single family home zoned areas are not responsible for lack of affordable housing.  Government bureaucracy is.

UTA STILL PUSHING FAILED BRTS/FRONTRUNNER INSTEAD OF HIGHWAYS
  The Legislature's Transportation Interim Committee is going to have a vigorous and expansive discussion on transit in the next few months.  During the last meeting, UTA was not able to present their plan for FrontRunner (which was to include almost a billion to double track it and another billion to electrify it.).  But they did present their Public Private Partnership pdf.  I put it in the downloads at the right.  It presented the Southwest Salt Lake County Via transit system (UTA's Uber/Lyft competitor) as a great success but the subsidy per rider was $44 and is now $35!  Although it is lower than the subsidy per rider for the buses that used to service some of the least popular routes, I don't think of it as a success.  UTA also listed the TODs that they are planning on developing with municipalities.  Each could require UTA funding of $10 million (the West Jordan and Sandy TODs required about $10 million).  And, if one is using proper accounting of costs, that money should be considered as part of the subsidy per rider.  In other words, UTA is planning to significantly increase the subsidy per mass transit rider.
  I believe that the FrontRunner billions should be/could be better used for roads.  The last UTA audit in 2014 (UTA needs another one) recommended a cost benefit analysis of all new projects.  UTA is not doing it.  AND UTA is already planning TRAX stations (which probably is on property recently bought by legislators) along the "not approved" but going forward Draper Lehi TRAX.
  UTA was also going to give a presentation on BRTs but time ran out in the August meeting.  UTA was just able to present the public private partnership.  I keep saying this:  UTA does not know how to do BRTs.  They just cancelled the 35 MAX (which probably cost over $120 million) and the two dedicated lanes are now wasted and useless without a lot more money to return them to road usage.  UVX has around 10,000 riders a day but it is free fare and only 1000 fewer parking permits were the result at UVU.  The two lanes for the BRT should have resulted in 5000 fewer vehicles at a minimum.  A BRT could work if it runs between 2 concentrated destinations like 2 universities.  There are no other such places in Utah like that.  ABut UTA is still planning on building BRTs.  And, the BRT seating is not safe.  That was the reason that the autonomous shuttles were removed from service.  It should be a no brainer that, in an accident, the safest place on a bus is in a seat like school buses. 
  UTA is also working on the $100 million bus garage.  Lee Davidson had a great article in the Sltrib.com recently that talked about how the cost of the new bus garage is going over $100 million.  We knew about it and complained about it over a year ago.  Five years ago, we complained about it's cost (UTA said that it would be $65 million then but we didn't believe them.).  We told UTA that the coal fired brick building (the biggest building on site that they planned to refurbish) was so old (coal fired bricks are old and mortar is obviously questionable) that it wasn't financially feasible to convert it.  They didn't believe us until now.  So UTA wasted $4 million trying to make it work (that was the contract given to Big D to start conversion).
  Missing from UTA's continued efforts to build this big ass garage is the plans in WFRC that call for bus garages in Sandy and West Jordan (or in the Southwest corner of the County).  The inefficiency of using only one bus garage means that every day, buses will head out to those locations empty and return at night after the last run, empty.  They call those buses deadhead buses and it shows how inefficient one big bus garage is.  During previous arguments, UTA tried to argue that it was inefficient to drive from the present bus garage across the street to refuel with natural gas at the big bus garage pumps!  But it is even more inefficient to drive empty twice a day to outlying areas!  
  UTA gave several facts to the legislators regarding electric buses and CNG buses.  The electric buses are much more expensive and a 10 minute charging gives 1 hour of ebus use.  Rep. Ward was interested in the maintenance cost (it is much less than a regular diesel bus if the design is stable and rung out during high mileage testing - in the end it will cost less).  UTA has 47 CNG buses that use $1.10 per gallon diesel equivalent of natural gas.  They are less polluting except for the NOx which is about the same.
  Partly due to the pandemic, but also due to poor planning, in my opinion, the vast majority of people, over 90%, will continue to want to drive since it helps them get closer and faster to their American dream, a home.  With a car, a home can be 50 miles away and be reached in less than an hour.  A bus or train takes much longer.  The American dream is not climbing into a bus or train with windows covered by dumb ads.

HIGHLAND DRIVE ABOUT TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION HELL
  The interlink study (in my previous blog) seems to be predicting a massive street projects' plan.  Side streets and 1100 East and Highland are all being planned for reconstruction or resurfacing in the next few years.  But the priority should be reconstructing or resurfacing main arterials since it is more important for not just cars and trucks but also for bicycles.   Resurfacing and repairing streets that provide much of the bicycle infrastructure of SLC (and help make SLCO a world class mountain bike destination) should be a higher priority.  Bicyclists for decades have had to contend with inadequate pothole repair and poor streets that require them, if they want to ride safely, to stay close to the curb which is even more poorly maintained than the street next to the center turn lane.  The City should stop focusing on the least used streets.  
  When I looked at the Transportation Impact fees map on page 24, it seemed to show significant inequity for Westside streets.  I saw lots of Eastside projects.  It seemed that there was a big difference.  The City should ensure that the poor Westside streets get more attention.  Streets need maintenance and traffic calming is not maintenance.  It seems that the Streets bond is being used for traffic calming instead of basic maintenance.  The bond should not be used as an excuse to fancify the streets with traffic calming when basic maintenance is more important.
  One of the other takeaways from the Transportation plans is the 9 Line Trail is missing.  The Granary area by the railroad tracks deserves priority for the 9 Line Trail.  Salt Lake City should consider building the 9 Line Trail east now from the rail tracks.  It would help Ballpark and Granary communities which desperately need more attention.  Two other missing pieces in the SLC Transportation projects plans are the Foothill Trails projects and the Jordan River Trail.  Both deserve more attention.
  The WFRC has money for projects like these and Salt Lake City should be applying for money for these projects.  As of last week, they were not applying.  
One other fact about the Interlink survey is an abysmal response so far on the survey.  Less than 200 have responded and it is attributed to survey fatigue, with all of the surveys that the City is in process with.

SLC FENCE HEIGHT CHANGE DESTROYS PRIVACY AND GREENERY
  Salt Lake City is proposing a fence height ordinance that will result, in my opinion, in limiting the ability of single family homes to protect their privacy, decrease noise, increase security and limit monster home intrusion.  It will also destroy many plants, greenery and trees used as hedges.  The City is proposing a 6 foot height limit, even if they allow a 2 story monster home next door.  On uneven properties and on slopes the impact will be even worse.  Even a hedge that is higher than 6 feet (4 foot limit in front) is outlawed.  If roses or other flowering greenery is used as a hedge fence, it also is limited to 4 feet in front and 6 feet on the side.  I know many plants are much bigger than that.  
  A 4 foot fence in front on an arterial street is not able to decrease the noise of traffic.  And since SLC does not enforce their vehicle noise ordinance (it is usually the County Health Department which has higher priorities.), loud motorcycles, diesel trucks and just plain noisy cars will not be able to have their noise mitigated!  This is a big deal.  Please tell SLC Planning what you think.  Email kristina.gilmore@slcgov.com.

500 EAST ABOUT TO BECOME ANOTHER BICYCLE BYWAY!
  Despite assurances that 500 East would not become another bicycles byway like 400 East and 600 East, the City is planning on implementing sharrows, shared bicycle car lane going north on 500 East from 2100 South to 1700 South.  It is a bus route and the street is being reconstructed with a projected completion date in November (Workers on the project say that it will be finished maybe in the Spring of 2021.).  A shared lane on a two lane road restricts vehicle speed with bicycles to less than 20mph!  Salt Lake City is in the process of gauging support for going public with that policy which is being implemented now!  The Typologies proposal is essentially reducing vehicle speeds on roads to 20mph.  The City is also trying to get UDOT to accept a road diet and 20mph on State Street (see below).  So the 205 bus on 500 East may be relegated to going 5mph behind a cyclist!  So the City's claimed efforts to speed up the buses is not as important as converting all streets to bicycle friendly less than 20mph!  Tell the City what you think about it.

STATE STREET EFFORTS TO LOWER SPEEDS TO 20MPH
  The City is reaching out to community councils surrounding State Street to implement the almost 20 year old Envision Utah Life on State streetscape road diet and traffic calming plan.  I call it Disneyland plan.  Instead of spending valuable money on affordable mixed income mixed use housing on State, the City seems to want to spend all of the redevelopment funds on prettifying State Street itself.  It will be a lousy monument to our elected leaders, I think.

SUGARMONT APARTMENTS WHITE ELEPHANT COMPLETION SUMMER 2021?
  Jeff Vitek's Boulder Ventures project, the Sugarmont Apartments has been under construction for over two years.  Workers say (I get better information from workers despite City efforts to stop me from talking to workers.  I really laugh about their efforts.) that they expect it to be completed by next summer.

A CHEAPER WAY TO ENCOURAGE COP BODY CAMS
  When the anti police violence protesters demand defunding police, and at the same time demand every cop have a body cam, they miss the irony that body cams require a lot more funding.  The body cam manufacturers charge an arm and a leg, literally, to proprietarily store and retrieve body cam footage.  The cost is usually over $100 a month!  Several years ago, Utah Interactive which runs the Legislature's IT/recordings storage of audio meetings, offered that they may be able to provide the service for less than $40 per month.  The problem is the proprietary nature of each body cam company's storage system.  Utah Interactive's system is called Media Vault and it is cheaper.  The County's UPD and many other County law enforcement services do not have enough money for body cams for every patrol officer.  The Legislature can and should solve the situation by requiring non-proprietary files and allow recordings to be stored on whatever service that the police want.  That will save millions and encourage more body cams.

POLICE POLICIES SHOULD BE WITH PUBLIC HEARINGS 
  The SLC Mayor has decided unilaterally, without public engagement or discussion, new policies for de-escalation and police use of force.  The City should be encouraging dialogue with police officers to ensure a fair resolution of concerns between community and police.  A unilateral policy change without a public hearing is disrespectful to the citizens, residents, and businesses along with the police who have to implement the policies.
  

SLC MAKES DIGITAL EQUITY WORSE WITH FANCY WEBSITES
  Salt Lake City is attempting to ensure digital equity and convenient high speed free access to every citizen.  But the City keeps pushing surveys that often require high bandwidth and powerful computers to get all of the information.  Although Lynn Jacobs, who is running the very important interlinkstudy website for the new circulation study, believes that survey fatigue is the reason for less than 200 responses to his survey, I believe that part of it is that it is not as easily accessed unless one has cable AND a powerful desktop.  That is not digital equity.  Until this City has real digital equity, the City should make website easy to load and read.
  Salt Lake City should consider many more cheap pocket libraries with public wifi to ensure full equity.  They can be in small stores or former restaurants.

BRICKYARD STACK APARTMENTS
  We keep complaining about the lack of inclusionary zoning (requiring a portion of housing to be affordable whether for higher building heights or less impact fees) and lack of affordable housing near commercial services like stores.  Brickyard is building a 5 story Type III multifamily apartment building over a two story Type I podium parking garage.  It will be called the Stack and it is on the west side of Brickyard on Riches Ave (who own much of Brickyard - also involved in Block 67 $15 million parking garage loan by SLC RDA - along with Garn).  Instead of putting more affordable housing in the best place for it, Brickyard, Salt Lake City is insisting that high density (the City calls 4 story apartments medium density) be put next to single family homes (on Richmond!!!).  Another what were they thinking.


JOHN BROWNING CONNECTION TO PALACIOS SHOOTING
  I am still upset that the most justifiable police shooting in recent memory, has been used to create a riot and destruction of property.  The DA found that the police shooting of Bernardo Palacios Cabral was justified and I more than agree.  It was super duper justified.  To compare his death with the torture and murder of George Floyd by a cop is an insult to George Floyd.  And I know the DA Sim Gill and consider him to be one of the most ethical people I know.  I don't always agree with him but he is the best person to review police shootings and questionable actions.  
  Palacios was a dangerous bad guy, obviously on drugs or alcohol, with a loaded semi automatic.  That is the most dangerous situation for a police officer to be in.  That is the type of person, even when surrounded by police, will not act normally and in a reasonable fashion.  He was so high on something that he had trouble holding onto his gun!  Even after he was shot full of bullets, he was able to raise the gun!!  The SLC cops were literally a second away from death and they should be considered heroes.  
  When anyone says that the cops should not have fired more than one or two times, they are clueless.  Anyone high on anything is not usually stopped by one or two bullets.  It is why assassin got its name (killers high on hashish were harder to stop and more effective at killing).  It is why the FBI went to .40 caliber guns.  It is why John Browning invented the most famous gun in history (in my opinion).  The 1911 .45 caliber Browning Automatic was invented to stop Philippine warriors who didn't stop attacking, even when full of bullets!

COULD FORMER SHERIFF JIM WINDER BE NEW SLC POLICE CHIEF
  In an interesting interview, the DA, Sim Gill expressed frustration at not being able to have the SLC Police stop the destruction of the DA building by Palacios shooting rioters.  Many of the rioters were members of the party formerly known as Communist and they were expected to get violent.  In fact, the SLC Council had a special closed session a couple of days before Sim's Palacios shooting report and they had planned on protecting the DA and other government buildings!  But Sim said that the Chief did not return his calls until after the building was physically damaged!  The Mayor said that the Chief is responsible (although she and the Council had set up the plan to protect the buildings).  This seems like a setup to remove the Chief and make it look like the City is listening to the communist agitators!  Interestingly enough, the former Sheriff, Jim Winder works as the supervisor of the DA's investigators.  The DA had to fight the County Council for Jim Winders position.  Essentially, the last few weeks have made the SLCPD Chief look bad and the former Sheriff Jim Winder look good.  I wonder what is next.

BONNEVILLE SHORELINE TRAIL PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR SALE $8 MIL
  This City, County and State should be protecting one of Utah's greatest assets (that attract people from around the world), the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  Unfortunately, their is a large piece of the Trail that is private property and it just went on sale for $8 million!  It is around Devonshire and Lakeline.  Salt Lake County should be using Transportation funds to buy it instead of giving developers money for parking garages.

RAPE KITS STILL TAKE 90 DAYS!
  Big news that was supposed to be good news:  Rape kits now take "only 90 days" to process!  That should be considered an insult and a failure.  Any longer than one day is an insult.

OXIMETERS DETECT COVID 19 INFECTIONS BETTER THAN THERMOMETERS
  Schools are restarting but they are using thermometers to test for infection with Covid 19.  I was under the impression that it is a misleading test.  A much better test is an oximeter which will tell, almost immediately if the person has a serious case of Covid 19.  

SLC CONTINUES EXTENDING TRANSIT SERVICE ON 9, 21 AND 2 ROUTES
  Lost in all of the news about protests, is the SLC Council's approval of extending the extended service on bus routes 9, 21 and 2 routes.  The City is still not spending everything that they promised.  The million that is sitting on the table for transit should reduce fares to $1.

SLC FIRE CODE ADDRESSES 300S CYCLE TRACK CONCERNS FINALLY
  SLC is about to have a public hearing on the new fire code which makes high rise firefighting more flexible.  One of the major complaints about the 300 S. cycle track was that it made it almost impossible for a ladder truck to set to fight a high rise fire.  The former Transportation Director Robin Hutchison (now President of the National Association of City Managers) said that high rises don't need ladder trucks since sprinklers handle those fires!
  The fire code issue was a problem with the 300 S. cycle track and it led to Fire Marshal reassignment.  The City should consider not relaxing requirements since cycle tracks cause fire fighting issues.

JUST ONE COMMENT ON TAX HEARING DESPITE $1000 INCREASES
  I admit it.  During the SLC Truth in Taxation hearing, I was the only comment.  No one else commented on the fact that the property taxes are going up significantly.  So much for public engagement.  Actually the Legislature and County are more responsible but I asked the City to provide more information and options to homeowners and businesses to allow flexibility during this very difficult time.  A public engagement entity that can assist taxpayers in options and helping to apply or navigate the County's options would help.  Many businesses will give up and the final straw will be the property taxes.

CWC STILL PUSHING $2 BILLION RAIL UP LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON
  The Central Wasatch Commission keeps pushing the Mountain Accord's anti car pro rail agenda.  In recent comments to UDOT regarding the Little Cottonwood Canyon EIS, the CWC said that "a significant reduction of automobiles was necessary for the future benefit of LCC".  It also said that "rail could be accommodated in the road right-of-way".  Finally, it said: "Based on expert analysis provided to CWC as part of our MTS work, the CWC recommends that some form of rail system should be included in the final list of range of reasonable alternatives."  They really know how to spend billions of taxpayer dollars.

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS PROTESTS HELP POLICE CHIEF KEEP HIS JOB
  I have been fighting Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robbie Russo for over 10 years.  Back then, he tried to get Millcreek to incorporate and set up their own police force (possibly under Robbie).  When my friends told me the plans, I told the Sheriff, Jim Winder, who was upset enough to stop the incorporation by arguing against it in a large public meeting.  I also had my first oped in the Sltrib then when I explained that multiple police agencies (over 10 in the County now) actually hurt crime fighting and result in inconsistent law enforcement.  We also fought his efforts, influenced and supported by Terry Diehl, Wayne Neiderhauser, Greg Hughes and Mayor Cullimore, to do a good ole boy harassment of the Canyon Inn bar.  (Terry Diehl wanted the property for development with his friends.)  
  Recently, the Cottonwood Heights Council and new Mayor have had second thoughts about the Chief.  Unfortunately, the protests against police brutality took another very justified police shooting of a robber brandishing a gun, and tried to protest in a residential neighborhood in Cottonwood Heights.  The SLC Police avoided the block and streets that were taken over last month for the Palacios shooting protest and ignored complaints from residents.  But the Cottonwood Heights Police acted on the complaints from their residents that were also threatened for not participating in the protest!  The result is that Chief Robbie Russo has never been in a better position to keep his position.  The citizens may even elect him mayor but he is much more powerful now.  This is similar to the riots that are helping Donald Trump even when they are protesting Donald Trump!
  The shooting of Zane James in 2018 after he robbed two stores with pellet gun was not a great reason to protest.  From the news, Tiffany James said:  “This is a culture of police power that is not community friendly and needs to be addressed.”  That is laughable dumb.  She, and others, have actually helped this County's worst police force (in my opinion).

UOFU RESEARCH PARK PLANS
  The University of Utah gave the City Council and East Bench Community Council a preview of their plans for Research Park (the City is considering making it an RDA expansion area).  The Research Park now contributes 40,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT) per day.  The University is hoping that there will be a TRAX and/or BRT extension that will result in a 35% reduction in trip generation.  The plans call for 10 story buildings including commercial to join the 10 story Marriott hotel.  The residential component will be the core and be 15 stories.  The Transportation Demand Management plan will focus on mixed use to allow residents and workers to obtain everything they need or want in the area's commercial businesses.  For more information, Google University of Utah Research Park for their website.

​

August 11, 2020
1300 SOUTH QUICKLY GOING DOWNHILL WITH HOMELESS CRIME
SLC LOSING 60 OFFICERS BY END OF YEAR
MILLER PARK WATER DISAPPEARS, MOSQUITOES INCREASE
SLC PUTS OFF CUTTING WARM SPRINGS MATURE TREES
UTAH BODYCAM STORAGE COSTS DECREASES POLICE USE
WWW.LOCALLINKSTUDY.COM TONS TRANSPORTATION DATA
SLC RESIDENTS ANGRY TYPOLOGIES NEIGHBORHD STREET PLAN
HISTORY/DESIGN OF JORDAN AND SALT LAKE CANAL ONLINE
SLC FINALLY CONCERNED ABOUT 900 WEST ROAD DIET
SEARS STORE PROPOSAL IGNORES STATE ST REDEVELOPMENT
UTA SHOULD LOWER FARES TO $1
UTA CFO WHO SAVED UTA FROM BANKRUPTCY RETIRING

1300 SOUTH QUICKLY GOING DOWNHILL WITH HOMELESS CRIME
  The Ballpark community is increasing their complaints of crime and biowaste.  The portable toilets on 1300 South on the Smith's Ballpark parking lot seem to encourage the concentration of homeless and criminal activity.  The Utah Highway Patrol warned of that and it seems to have come to reality.  
  Despite the promise of a decrease in biowaste, it is actually increasing.  Homeless are increasing their presence and threatening behavior.  Many residents are being threatened with weapons.  
  The homeless are congregating between 1300 South and Jefferson Park.  Jefferson Park continues to have a lot of drug sales.  The City has also installed a new light in the Park.  Another one will be installed shortly.
  The Community has seen an increase in homeless traffic between Jefferson Park and the toilets and the 7/11.  Package theft has also increased.  The Park, according to neighbors, is now unsafe for children!  Fights are regular occurrences.  
  Please, if this is happening in your area, have all of your neighbors and friends report everything using the word prowler (never say homeless) and get a case number.  All drug sales, even suspected, all prowling in yards even if urinating, to prove that there is a problem.  Even if it takes 10 calls a day from everyone, the SLCPD has to report it on Compstat and the City can't ignore it.
  The City and powers that be have decide that we need a homeless camping area (which I have been pushing for by Rio Grande on unused City property - vacant for decades) in Ballpark.  
  A Compstat report should show the problem and the City cannot ignore a 300% increase in car prowls, car breakins, weapon/assault threats (attempted assaults), thefts, robberies, open drinking, using drugs, (report ALL needles to the Police).
  Police and Parks were asked to include Jefferson Park on list of Police Park Ranger patrols.  New lighting which will cost more will be in the future along with cameras (a number 2 priority) and any light that is disturbing to residents will have shields to diffuse the lights on request.  Also Parks will consider an off leash dog use 5-7 AM/PM.  Interested parties should sign up (through Community Council or Parks) for future meetings and discussion.  The City is also suggesting starting a friends of Jefferson Park to help the City get suggestions for other amenities.

SLC LOSING 60 OFFICERS BY END OF YEAR
  The SLCPD is losing a lot of officers.  The increase in overtime to ensure the anti-police brutality protests are peaceful, the poor retirement system, the disrespect that many have been exhibiting towards officers and the salaries have combined to result in what is expected to be a loss of 60 officers by years end.  It will take at least a year and a half to restore the Department to full staffing only if the City "aggressively starts hiring".  Utah's retirement system was determined in last year's IACP SLCPD study (in downloads on the right) to be a major factor in SLCPD losing more officers than other police agencies.  Officers are leaving the Department after a couple of years.  There will not be another Police Academy until next year.  The Department is now planning on starting to hire in March of 2021.  
  If this City wants more police, the City will have to pay them more, since they are competing with other jurisdictions in the County.
  The Mayor also released her order to change Department policy with several recommendations.  Before implementing the policies, there should be a vigorous public engagement and community review to ensure that the policies are not unilateral and are a result of consensus with police officers on the street.  They have to confront armed criminals and they need to know that they will be supported if they defend themselves.  Otherwise, this City may lose over a hundred officers by the end of the year.  
  Again, the Officers who confronted and shot Palacios, were justified.  The most dangerous time for a police officer is when they are surrounding a man with a gun, a man who is obviously high on drugs (Palacios kept dropping his gun).  They do not act predictably, and even when shot full of bullets, the armed men are still able to shoot back.  Palacios still was able to point his gun, even after being shot many times.  There is a reason why many in law enforcement want bigger guns (as the FBI decided years ago).  Criminals on drugs do not stop with just one bullet.  Sometimes it takes dozens of bullets.  It is why John Browning invented the 1911 45 caliber automatic.
  Again, I think that comparing the George Floyd murder with the Palacios shooting is an insult to George Floyd.
  Please tell the Council and Mayor what you think.  Our police need to be supported.

MILLER PARK WATER DISAPPEARS, MOSQUITOES INCREASE
  Miller Park, and Red Butte Creek that flows through it, has been going downhill fast.  Mt Olivet Cemetery has been taking all of the water from Red Butte Creek and it left Miller Park with puddles that are breeding grounds for the type of mosquito that spreads West Nile Virus.  SLC Mosquito Abatement has expressed their concerns.  Many have been complaining about the situation.  Public Utilities confirmed that Mount Olivet Cemetery has been diverting "water from Red Butte Creek in order to irrigate the cemetery grounds.  They have a water right to make this diversion and use the water, and it appears at times they are diverting the entire flow of the stream.  We will be reaching out to them to let them know of the concerns downstream. We are also evaluating if it is feasible and would be helpful to release water from Red Butte Reservoir at times to contribute to the flow in the stream; currently water is being passed through the reservoir so we would be releasing additional flows into the stream than what would be natural."

SLC PUTS OFF CUTTING WARM SPRINGS MATURE TREES
  According to the Friends of Warm Springs Park, "SLC Parks Dept. is looking to proceed with a plan to remove 16 established trees from Warm Springs Park (some planted by early settlers) in order to enlarge the existing field for a regulation soccer field."  The concern exploded on Facebook and SLC Parks has responded by confirming that they were thinking about cutting trees but that they will have a vigorous public discussion first.  The cutting of trees is not funded.  I also must point out that the City should be significantly increasing the number of replacement trees.  I, and many others, believe that each mature tree cut should be replaced by at least 25 new 2" trees.  The City standard is supposed to be replacing a 24 inch tree with 12 2" trees!
  "Public Lands is looking for more community input about the proposed changes through a brief survey. The survey is currently being developed and will soon be distributed through our social media channels and on the Warm Springs webpage."
  The goal was to activate the Park and, although the plan that started in 2015 indicated a soccer field, it is obvious that further design and public outreach is needed before finalizing plans.  
  "Enlarging the field so that it can be scheduled for league play was a strategy favored by the community at that time and seen as a way to accomplish the goal to bring more people to the park.  Five years later, Public Lands continues to have difficulty meeting all the demands for soccer fields throughout the valley and project that an additional soccer field at Warm Springs park would be highly sought after and work as a viable option for park activation. Enlarging the field is one way to bring more people to the park, but not the only option. When the community voted on the list of potential improvements, expanding the field was a top priority. 
  In 2018, Public Lands was awarded CIP funds for design only of the multi-use field. Construction funds have not been approved, and therefore tree removal or field expansion is unfunded and will not occur in the near future.
  In 2019 during the design process, planners for the park met with Urban Forestry on site to inspect the trees anticipated to be impacted.  More than half of the 15 trees proposed for removal were found to be in fair to poor condition.  Should the removal of fifteen of trees occur, the planned design calls for the addition of more than two trees for each tree removed.  New trees will be installed with zone irrigation, so they are watered appropriately during our hot dry summers.
  Recent Facebook posts and social media have created more public discussion around the option to enlarge the soccer field and subsequently remove trees. Since the public planning process occurred more than five years ago, we want to circle back with the Warm Springs community to make sure we install publicly supported amenities. 
  For more context and information regarding the Downtown and Capitol Hill district parks, please visit the Public Lands Needs Assessment at: https://www.slcdocs.com/parks/SLCPLNeedsAssessment.pdf"

UTAH BODYCAM STORAGE COSTS DECREASES POLICE USE
  Many protests about police brutality have demanded that all police have bodycams.  But the cost of storage for each bodycam can be over $100 per month!  Utah Interactive has a proposed system that can provide a much lower cost for secure bodycam storage.  Many cities including West Jordan, West Valley City and West Jordan do not have enough bodycams due to the video storage cost.  So those protesting for more bodycams are hypocritical since they are also, usually, demanding lower police funding which is actually stopping using more bodycams.

WWW.LOCALLINKSTUDY.COM HAS TONS OF TRANSPORTATION DATA
  Lynn Jacobs is heading up a Salt Lake City/South Salt Lake and Millcreek Circulation Study.  There is a survey online and a large amount of data that includes crash rates (vehicle, bicycles and pedestrians), bus stop utilizations, and other data.  Anyone interested in traffic, bicycles, cars and pedestrians should read the data at www.locallinkstudy.com.  You can comment directly to lynn.jacobs@slcgov.com.  Please take the survey/comment on the maps.
  In my opinion, there appears to be a lot of plans to reconstruct side streets.  Reconstructing side streets should not be a priority.  Resurfacing and repairing arterials/streets that provide much of the bicycle infrastructure of SLC (and help make SLCO a world class mountain bike destination) should be a higher priority.  Bicyclists for decades have had to contend with inadequate pothole repair and poor streets that require them, if they want to ride safely, to stay close to the curb which is even more poorly maintained than the street next to the center turn lane.

SLC RESIDENTS ANGRY ABOUT TYPOLOGIES NEIGHBORHOOD STREET PLANS
  I was concerned about the SLC Typologies proposal to increase street types and plan on design standards.  I liked the wider sidewalks but I am very upset about the plan to DECREASE TRAFFIC SPEEDS TO 10 TO 30MPH, decreasing parking, increasing separated bike lanes (that do not get maintenance) and planning expensive transit projects.  I consider it a war on cars.  (I put full comments in a blog entry below.).  The City's biggest complaint that they received was for number 13, the neighborhood streets, which appeared to suggest removing parking and impacting trees.  Please Google SLC.gov and Typologies and take the survey.
  The below are comments from a previous blog entry:
  The streetscape suggestions, in general are throwing in everything possible, especially expensive rail and BRT systems that will increase congestion and pollution.  One reason that UTA is ending the 35MAX BRT is that it is not successful.  The UVX BRT is successful due to it being free.
  The Typologies proposal proposes, in general, billions of projects for prettifying streets with separated bike lanes, streetcars, BRTs and 10 to 30MPH speeds!  I consider it a war on cars.  The only good thing about the proposal is that it has wider sidewalks but if a building has no setback and can go up 400 feet, it results in a canyon of concrete and steel and I think that discourages walking, even with 8-12 ft sidewalks (commercial shared street).
  Bus only lanes are inefficient use of space but we do need bus pullouts like on 400 South.  Unfortunately, UTA drivers often stay well into the street and force riders to step down (sometimes UTA adds an extra foot required to step down into the street.
  The dream of grand boulevards was tried on 500 South but the Legislature balked due to requiring private landowners to give up property (and car lots) to allow something like the 28 ft sidewalks in Paris.
  The lowering of speed limits, all less than 30MPH would seem to increase congestion and many would think of it as a war on cars.
  Rail and streetcars are not efficient!!! It seems to be a big excuse to spend money.  The three proposed ones in Salt Lake City would cost local taxpayers almost a half billion dollars!  The 132' urban street should not have any rail.  The only rail lines that are successful are to destinations (I know since I worked on one in San Diego.)
  The maintenance of separated bike lanes on almost all streets is not realistic.  Bicyclists would rather have 10 ft wide bike lanes with plenty of room to make emergency maneuvers.
  Destination streets are 20MPH.  Destination thoroughares are 25MPH.  Residential streets are reduced to 15mph which is essentially a war on cars!
  If the recent protests are having any effect, why waste money (almost a billion!) on fancy projects when we need affordable housing more.  
  The proposed (and set in stone) 200 S BRT is going to cost $67 million which, if used for replacing impact fees for 2000 affordable units, and encouraging them, is a better use of millions.
  Where is there a possibility for a shared neighborhood street?  After dark, without commercial lighting, residential streets are dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists.  We should not be expecting streets to be safe for pedestrians or bicycles after dark (don't tell kids to go out and play in the street after dark).
  I can't think of an urban village street.  All of these typologies should have examples to tell everyone the realistic plans so they can see what is really going to happen.
  There should be a cost for each of these proposals by block, including the "green loop".  Financial considerations should be important for governments.  
  Some older and limited people have difficulty getting to bus stops via separated bike lanes.  The City is actually making it harder to navigate City streets while older.  It encourages older people to move to the suburbs where people can cross a street without an obstacle course.
  The urban street has a raised bikelane and is shared?
  How about starting with State Street which needs form based zoning, wider sidewalks, a 10 minute regular bus with bus pullouts and bike lanes (after removing the useless center median).
  This looks like an excuse to spend over a billion dollars that would be better used in inclusionary form based, mixed use, mixed income buildings on commercial corridors like State Street and North Temple.

HISTORY/DESIGN OF JORDAN AND SALT LAKE CANAL ONLINE
  SLC intends to do a lot of work on the Jordan and Salt Lake Canal that runs under/next to Highland Drive.  The Lynn Jacobs Interlink Study (above) goes into more detail on it.  For a great history of and reason for the Jordan and Salt Lake Canal, see:
http://www.slcdocs.com/utilities/newsevents/news2000/news06062000.htm

SLC FINALLY CONCERNED ABOUT 900 WEST ROAD DIET
  The 900 West road diet has been complained about since nearby residents contend that it decreases safety.  The City seems to now agree and is promoting a 900 W survey (Google it).  The City is focusing on solutions to make the 1300 South/900 West intersection safer with anything.  Residents should take the survey.

SEARS STORE PROPOSAL IGNORES STATE STREET REDEVELOPMENT
  In a proposal for the old Sears building between 700 and 800 South State Street, a developer is asking for a higher building than would normally be allowed and is only putting in 360 market rate units.  The proposal is to put in live-work units on the ground floor.  This is the project that the City is helping with a TRAX station at 650 South Main Street.  But the sidewalks seem to be made narrower and that ignores the potential benefits of wider sidewalks for State Street development from that area to the south to 2100 South.  
  The development also bypasses the potential that the City has considered to require inclusionary zoning which would have provided around 20% of the units to be affordable.  The proposal that the City considered almost two years ago was to forgive impact fees (this project will have almost a million in impact fees) in return for 72 affordable units.  But the City has not pushed for that and it sits in limbo.  
  The City also has allowed increased heights in the Streetcar zoning in return for setting aside a portion of the units for affordable units (without forgiving impact fees)
  Another issue is the impact fees are not ever going to be used to benefit the area with respect to parks.  The City has repurposed the impact fees for parks downtown to Pioneer Park.  At one time, the City had budgeted almost $5 million for another big downtown park.
  I still think that the Sear block process should be part of the State Street CRA form based zoning to encourage a wide sidewalk on State Street.  I also think that live/work units may effectively close public engagement after 5PM and that would make a zombie building, dead after 5PM.  SLC should be encouraging ground floor retail and restaurants, not just live/work (as in offices).
  I urge everyone to tell the City Council that this project should have affordable units or the higher height should not be approved.  In addition, the redevelopment of State Street should include wider sidewalks, not narrower sidewalks.

UTA SHOULD LOWER FARES TO $1
  UTA is planning on buying property up to Box Elder County for FrontRunner expansion, despite subsidizing each rider over a hundred dollars.  That is inefficient and fiscally irresponsible.  UTA is about to sign an extension of the SLC transit expansion contract.  SLC has almost a million from the Funding Our Future funds that were not spent and the City should use them for lowering fares to $1.
  I encourage UTA (with or without SLC assistance) to lower fares to $1 until the present crisis is over.  The system needs more riders to continue public support of transit.  UTA has the sales tax funding to allow it if UTA does not spend the billions planned for TRAX and BRT expansion (and FrontRunner amenities).
  The best reason is the $1 fare will get those who can only afford older and much more polluting cars (older cars can pollute a hundred times more than newer cars) to consider riding buses instead of driving the polluting vehicles.  
  So called higher class riders (UTA markets to them with rail, WiFi and fancy express buses) buy new less polluting $50,000 cars and trucks and will tend to avoid transit for a few years no matter how fancy a rail project is.  
  I am against increasing the FarePay card fare for buses to $2.  UTA should be discouraging cash and encouraging ridership with lower fares.  UTA should spend all new money on lower fares instead of billion dollar projects.
  I urge the UTA Board of Trustees to lower fares on FarePay to $1 as an experiment.  These are very unusual times and standard fare elasticities do not seem to be realistic.  Increasing FarePay charges (to $2 for bus) will increase driver/passenger interaction which I thought UTA was trying to decrease.  
  UTA would be/could be responsible for a significant decrease in air pollution if a $1 fare is implemented on FarePay as an experiment.  FarePay also has the advantage of providing data on trips that cash is unable to provide.
  UTA's cost of fuel has gone down significantly since the $2.50 fare implementation and UTA is benefiting from the new taxes.
  Instead of a one off, free fare day that does not provide realistic results (FrontRunner is used as a Disneyland type ride for families during free fare day), please consider a few months, maybe to the end of the year, a $1 fare to see what happens.
  UTA is also procuring new buses.  Most are new, low emission diesel buses.  Priority should be to buy electric low noise vehicles and confirm that low floor matches with planned bus stop improvements (unless drivers continue to be told to stay 1-4 ft from curb).  UTA should ask cities what buses they want instead of ordering buses that cities don't want operating in their areas.

UTA CFO WHO SAVED UTA FROM BANKRUPTCY RETIRING
  Bob Biles, UTA CFO is retiring.  He is responsible for keeping UTA out of bankruptcy since UTA overextended themselves after rushing expansion of TRAX.
  I really hate to see the loss at UTA of important institutional knowledge.  Bob Biles took an organization that, in my opinion, was a day away from bankruptcy, and righted the finances.
  To borrow the money for the expansion, UTA used daily bond rollovers since they weren't able to borrow using normal methods.  UTA was going out on a limb, and it would have been disastrous if not for the low interest rates due to the recession.  Moving away from daily bond buys was a significant accomplishment and Bob should get the credit.  
  Decreasing the future significant interest and principal payment increases due also helped stabilize UTA (done in the last year). 
  I hope that UTA recognizes the danger that it was in by borrowing for rail expansion and does not try it again without confirming funding (In Accordance With last audit).  
  Bob Biles deserves credit for leading UTA out of that financial danger.  UTA should not use his retirement as an excuse to go out on a limb again and expand TRAX.

JULY 28, 2020
SLC THREATENS SINGLE-FAMILY HOME NEIGHBORHOODS
UTA FINALLY ADMITS BRT IS NOT WORKING BUT WANTS MORE
MORE COMMUNITIES WANT WALKING POLICE PATROLS
TELL SLC COUNCIL AUG. 11 COPS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SCOOTERS
SLC COUNCIL CHAIR PUBLIC SAFETY SUGGESTIONS
SLC POLICE BIKE PATROLS NOW USING MURDER HORNET UNIFORMS

SLC THREATENS SINGLE-FAMILY HOME NEIGHBORHOODS
  As I wrote in the last two blog posts, there is a survey online (address below) that could increase density in single family zones.  Sltrib.com published my oped on the Salt Lake City survey that implies a threat to single-family home neighborhoods. 
It is at: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2020/07/22/george-chapman-slc/
 The survey questions include gauging support for ADUs without hearings, duplexes (if one unit is affordable), reduced parking requirements, townhomes with just one parking space per two family townhouse units (within a ¼ mile of frequent bus routes), tiny homes, reduced lot size and setbacks, alleyway housing and adaptive reuse of schools, churches and large houses (with deed restricted affordable housing), all in single-family zoned areas.  It also asks about interest in more density on high traffic arterials that would result in more congestion, backup and air pollution.
  The survey is at: https://www.slc.gov/planing/2019/12/03/affordable-housing-overlay
  Sara Javoronok, Senior Planner at sara.javoronok@slcgov.com or 801.535.7625 has more information but the survey results will have the most impact. 

UTA FINALLY ADMITS BRT IS NOT WORKING BUT WANTS MORE
  UTA has provided their plan to "expand" service for August 2020, after promising it for two years.  I put it in the downloads section.  Most importantly, I think, is the cancellation of the 35th South Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).  The 35 MAX was claimed to be proof about how good BRTs are and they will attract mass transit ridership.  They took two lanes of traffic and never had more than 3200 riders a day.  The two lanes of traffic could have provided personal vehicle use for 10,000 cars a day so the system was extremely costly and inefficient.  The UVX BRT in Utah County is touted as proof that BRTs work but that system is free and runs between two universities.  Although almost 10,000 ride it each day, only 1000 fewer vehicle parking stickers were asked for.  So it really is not that successful.  
  Unfortunately, UTA is planning for three more BRT systems with a significant cost but a boon for construction companies.  The 48th South Taylorsville BRT will create significant congestion; the South Davis BRT to UofU via 200 South will cost local SLC taxpayers $50 million and duplicate the very effective express buses; the Ogden BRT also duplicates a very effective 603 and saves 5 minutes out of a 20 minute trip at a cost of $67 million!  
  UTA likes spending money inefficiently.  I put the UTA plan for August 2020 (with comments asked for), the new fare proposals, the Via microtransit $44 subsidy per rider, and the bond report that UTA gave the State Bonding Commission all together in one file in the downloads.  Note that the State Bonding Commission is actually keeping tabs on UTA to ensure that it doesn't overspend.  The Utah State Treasurer is a great fiscal conservative.
  Also note that the seating on BRTs is not considered safe which is one of the reasons that UTA stopped the short range shuttles.  In a fast stop, passengers on the shuttles (and BRT) will go flying.
  Note also that the proposal decreases the fare to $5 for express buses, and daypass fare of $5 (reduced from $6.50).  Unfortunately, the regular fares stays at $2.50 and the FarePay cards fare for buses goes from $1.50 to $2.  
  I personally think that the express buses, which are long range coaches, make it very difficult for those in wheelchairs and those that have problems climbing stairs.  Studies show that one of the biggest deterrents to riding buses is the stairs in the old (and express) buses.
  Comments should be made by August 21 via emailto:  rideuta@rideuta.com/farechanges

MORE COMMUNITIES WANT WALKING POLICE PATROLS
  During a virtual meeting of the Pioneer Park Coalition, several participants decried the brazen criminal actions witnessed by the residents and businesses in the Downtown area.  In one case, a resident and company president saw video surveillance of a criminal climbing into a vacant apartment then down to a garage to steal a very expensive bicycle.  Others complained about witnessing an obvious bicycle thief (with the lock still attached to the wheels) take the stolen bike into a known drug house.  There is also an unconfirmed rumor that a homeless shelter resident had many bicycles confiscated that he claimed to own.  He will get them back in 30 days but bicyclists are trying to find out more information.  There is also reports that the Green Bike system has had a big loss in bicycles stolen.  Please report any large concentration of bicycles to the SLCPD.
  The Pioneer Park Coalition asked for walking police patrols and SLCPD Chief Brown indicated that the Police Bike Squad is returning to duty and they have the option to walk.  But many areas of the City need regular walking patrols.  Despite the request for walking police patrols on 1300 South to decrease criminal activity (especially around the 7/11 on West Temple), the City has decided to ignore that request and deliver two portable restrooms in the Smith's Ballfield parking lot.  UHP Colonel Redd warned that restrooms for homeless tend to attract criminal activity.  But the City ignored that.  The restrooms are there and now the City has a camping area for homeless on the parking lot, something that the community has been trying to stop.  There are several registered sex offenders camping out in the area half a block away.  Instead of putting a camping area near the homeless services near the shelters or Rio Grande, the Ballpark Neighborhood now has the honor.  
  The City is asking for feedback on how to make the Jefferson Park area safer during a Thursday July 30 7pm virtual meeting on Webex or contact Luke Allen at luke.allen@slcgov.com or at 801 972-7891.  More than lighting, the City needs to install a permanent mobile cop cam.  You can also go to https://bit.ly/jeffersonparkdiscussion.  

TELL SLC COUNCIL AUG. 11 THAT COPS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SCOOTERS
  The last day to comment on the new scooter ordinance is August 11 at the Formal SLC Council meeting.  I still think that there should be a switch to go from 5MPH on sidewalks to 15MPH on the street.  Scooters should not be allowed on sidewalks at 15MPH.  And SLCPD should have free access to scooters.  I think that they make more sense that bicycles when patrolling.  Please give the City Council your comments at council.comments@slcgov.com.

SLC COUNCIL CHAIR PUBLIC SAFETY SUGGESTIONS
  SLC Council Chair Chris Wharton has put his top 25 list on equity policing.  They are below.  
9:23 PM · Ju 13, 2020
Councilmember Chris Wharton
@chriswhartonslc
Top 25 things the City Council is currently working on related to equity in policing in Salt Lake City:
FINANCIAL AUDIT:
1. Extremely detailed independent financial review on all PD spending
2. Zero-based budget exercise for FY 2021
3. Review and compile best practices and trends
4. (a) Audit and analysis of Internal Affairs (measurables; HR issues; officers with disciplinary history); (b) Reporting ordinance to the Council and public; (c) Monitor ‘intervention’ in response to officers patterns
5. Consideration of mental health service and support
CITY STAFF:
6. More staff support/funding for Comm on Racial Equity in Policing
7. Increase implicit bias training for staff
8. Increase public ed/engagement efforts
9. Research on other cities’ (a) organizational/community efforts; (b) implicit biases re: budgeting
CITY ATTORNEY:
10. Review of City Code for disparate impacts on BIPOC residents
11. Draft ordinance banning military equipment
12. Draft ordinance strengthening Police Civ Review Board 
13. Draft SLCPD reporting ordinance 
14. Research  qualified immunity and indemnification

HOLDING ACCOUNTS:
15. Catalytic programs for BIPOC communities 
16. Evaluation of engagement with communities of color 
17. Non-lethal and less-lethal options
18. Body cam equipment for all PD-civilian interactions
19. Comprehensive training evaluation
20. Social worker program

OTHER:
21. School resource officer reevaluation and info gathering
22. Tuition reimbursement for SLCPD officers
23. Review policing tactics and update internal manual
24. Resolution outlining expectations
25. Continue meetings w/ activists, researchers, community orgs.

NOTE: Above items are in addition to ongoing affordable housing projects, food security programs, criminal diversion programs, resources for unsheltered residents, East-West connectivity in transit, state lobbying efforts, and other citywide equity initiatives

SLC POLICE BIKE PATROLS NOW USING MURDER HORNET UNIFORMS
  Has anyone noticed that the so called unintimidating SLC Bicycle Cop uniforms are like murder hornet costumes.  I still think that they are looked at as a joke but maybe calling them murder hornet costumes might restore some respect by criminals.

JULY 21, 2020
LAST CHANCE SURVEY TO PROTECT SINGLE FAMILY HOME AREAS
GONDOLA PROPONENTS HIDE PROBLEMS
SLC CIP PUBLIC HEARING LAST CHANCE AUG. 11
SLC SCOOTER HEARING LAST CHANCE AUG. 11
PALACIOS WAS A THREAT AND POTENTIAL KILLER
UTA SUBSIDIZING VIA TRANSIT RIDERS $45
SLC HAS STATED THAT CYCLE TRACKS DON'T NEED MAINTENANCE
SLC CLOSING PARK RESTROOMS, PUTTING IN PARKING LOTS
SLC NEEDS WALKING POLICE PATROLS
SLC WASTES TIME IGNORING CHILDCARE PLANNING
911 AUDIT AND POLICE REPORT BACK ON DOWNLOADS


LAST CHANCE SURVEY TO PROTECT SINGLE FAMILY HOME AREAS
  Salt Lake City is asking for feedback on suggestions for increasing density in single family home neighborhoods.  The survey ends July 31.  This is an important survey and I urge everyone to take it.  Despite ignoring the potential housing on State Street and North Temple, the City seems to be targeting single family home neighborhoods.  Only 2000 took the first survey and 2000 should not be directing the City's plan for single family home neighborhoods.  Again, I urge everyone to comment, as they want, on the survey.  In my opinion, the proposal (I put it in the downloads section.) throws out protection of single family zoned neighborhoods.
  The survey is at: https://www.slc.gov/planning/2019/12/03/affordable-housing-overlay
  Sara Javoronok, Senior Planner at sara.javoronok@slcgov.com or 801.535.7625 has more information but the survey results will have the most impact.  

  The City's plans suggest that they are trying to increase density in single family home neighborhoods and also increase density along arterial streets (which are already at capacity).  SLC should be protecting the single family home neighborhoods which are part of our character.  Putting more density on arterials increases pollution, left hand turns and dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists.
  Instead of destroying single family home neighborhoods, the City should be focusing on the most unused housing potential in the City, State Street.  The RDA, almost 5 years ago, suggest that almost 2000 more housing units could easily fit in the corridor and that is one reason for approving the CRA redevelopment of State Street.  Unfortunately, the City did not convince the Board of Education to agree to it until last year.  SLC RDA has owned and stalled development of 7 of 15 acres in Depot for decades.  (The last RDA meeting suggested selling 4 acres of City owned Depot District property.)  That also could have thousands of units in high rises.  The City Council recently balked at high rises in the area.
 
  Despite problems with ADUs, the City seems to want to allow all single family zoned areas to have ADUs without further hearings! It would allow accessory dwelling units in single-family neighborhoods without a conditional use process if one of the units on the property is affordable?  Reduced parking requirements are also part of the survey.

It would allow two family duplex units in single family areas if at least one of the two units is affordable!

It would allow townhomes within 1/4 mile of frequent buses or on busier streets (increasing congestion on busier streets) if at least 50% of the units is affordable.

It would allow tiny homes up to 400 sq ft and cottages up to 850 sq ft within 1/4 mile from 15 minute buses or on busier streets if at least 50% of the units are affordable.

It would require just one parking space for two family, townhouse units.

It would allow a 50% to 75% reduction in RMF (multi family) lot area per unit (30% ami or less no density requirements).

It reduces lot size (and setbacks by up to 25%) by up to 40% if the new lots average at least the same lot size as others on the block face on one side of the street.  (average lot coverage could not exceed the average of the block face or 50% whichever is greater)

It allows flags lots (behind the main lot).

It allows alleyway construction/housing

It allows adaptive reuse of schools, churches and large houses if percentage affordable is deed restricted (inclusionary zoning).  This means that a school or church could become affordable housing in the middle of single family home neighborhoods!

The proposal will not only destroy the character of single family home neighborhoods, it will result in the loss of thousands of trees in our urban forest.  Our urban tree canopy will not recover for decades.

The City says: "These questions gauge support for modifying regulations for low and medium density residential districts when affordable housing is included as part of the development."

   Again, in my opinion, SLC should be protecting the single family homes neighborhood which are part of out character.
Putting more density on arterials increases pollution, left hand turns and dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists.
  The problem with ADUs is that Airbnb is being used for short term rentals.  SLC allows short term rental "in the zones that allow other nightly rentals, such as hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts.  In those zones, someone has to license their unit as one of these types of uses to do nightly or short term (less than 30 days) rentals. The only residential zones that allow one of these uses (bed and breakfast) are the mixed use residential districts (RB, RMU-35, RMU_45, RMU, RO ). It is possible that there would be single family dwellings in these zones.  In these zones, ADUs are permitted uses because the zones already allow duplexes, townhomes, and multi-family developments. A Bed and Breakfast is also permitted in a designated Landmark site with a conditional use. These could be in any zone but they have to be a landmark site and the building has to be over 7,000 square feet in size.  Enforcement is handled by Civil Enforcement within Building Services."
  I repeated much of a previous blog entry to encourage taking the survey.

GONDOLA PROPONENTS HIDE PROBLEMS
  I put my comments on UDOT's Little Cottonwood Canyon EIS in the last blog post below (July 7).  Since then, there have been several stories about how nice it would be to have a gondola going up the Canyon (from a developer's development).  The UDOT EIS has a gondola but it is only going to the mouth of the Canyon and the developer (former Senate President Neiderhauser - who sponsored SB71 that made toll roads legal in Utah without Legislative review and hoping to use Canyon tolls to pay for his parking garage) wants it to go a little west to his development.  There was also an oped about how great it would be.  But the EIS pointed out that the gondola could not operate during avalanche prevention efforts.  And transit options are only needed during winter ski season.  It would be cheaper to stop advertising skiing in Utah (if there is too much traffic up the Canyons).  
  The Central Wasatch Commission (formed to implement the Mountain Accord - train, ban on cars and giving hundreds of acres to sski resorts) has also weighed in and complained that their parallel effort for a Mountain Transportation System has been ignored.  It contends that it is consensus based but really only includes those supporting the Mountain Accord recommendations, especially discouraging personal vehicles.
  Again, UDOT is only suggesting that more transit options are needed in winter (maybe due to our successful effort to increase ski resort traffic) and the other seasons don't need extra transit.  Despite that, hundreds of millions are being proposed to fund the two bus proposals and gondola proposal.  All we asked for was weekend bus service up the Canyons along with more bus service paid for by ski resorts.  Taxpayers don't need to pay more than $10 million for that.
  My comments to UDOT on the EIS include:
  I am against the 3 proposed solutions to the Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic issues.  The main reason is that the proposals for bus only operate the buses in the winter.  UDOT is essentially suggesting giving the Canyon ski resorts around $400 million dollars in services and projects!
  The buses are proposed to only operate in winter due to the observation that they don't see traffic like in winter.  The gondola was supposed to be for winter only but you say that it will depend on the survey.  Again, UDOT is suggesting hundreds of millions of dollars in services and projects for ski resorts (and Canyon Center or other development parking garages).  I do not believe that most Utahns will appreciate that and it really is not a solution.  I agree that the gondolas will interfere with avalanche control.
  I also agree that the priority should be snow sheds first (big enough to handle extra large buses).  The second priority should be to expand the shoulders which should be used for a separated bike lane.  The third priority should be to expand parking with restrooms next to trails.  6 million visitors need more than a handful of restrooms.  The fourth priority should be to provide weekend bus service that stops at trails.  That will prove use of transit is possible.  UDOT should not be removing 200 out of 900 parking spots to force transit use.  Transit is probably going to be unused for the next ten years and UDOT should never ever discourage use of personal vehicles (or give up and disband).  And UDOT should make it clear that ski resorts, through an assessment, should pay for the projects and services (services in winter).
  I am against tolling which discourages personal vehicle use.  It's use in winter will result in a backlash against ski resorts, which Utah is marketing.  Why market services if they create congestion is the argument.
  Again, the EIS should provide a priority list that has snow sheds, soft shoulder wide bike lanes, expanded parking and many more restrooms, test weekend bus service (with expanded bike storage and maybe even topless tourist buses) to see what it will take to get people to take transit.  Spending tens of millions on parking garages at the mouth of the Canyon should not be done without confirming people will use the buses.  Parking garages for winter bus use effectively gives developers tens of millions for a few months of use.    
  UDOT noted in a presentation to the City Council that they were looking at eliminating 200 out of 900 parking spots to force transit use, tolling during winter congestion, the gondola was supposed to be for winter only (but it interferes with avalanchE control) but it depends on the survey and buses only in winter due to UDOT doesn't see traffic like in winter. 

SLC CIP PUBLIC HEARING LAST CHANCE AUG. 11
  No one commented on the SLC CIP list proposal during the July 14th public hearing (but me)!  There is one last chance to comment, during the 7PM Formal City Council meeting on August 11.  Please comment at council.comments@slcgov.com or you can send emails to the email list of Councilmembers on the right (below downloads).
  There are several items that I believe should be changed.  There is only $565,000 budgeted for the Foothill Trails Plan and I believe that it should have much more.  The Foothill Trails Plan deserves much more.  People already come from around the world to hike and bike our foothills.  The City is proposing $625,000 for a Downtown Green Loop (despite bicycling on Downtown sidewalks being illegal) but the money could be better used for the Foothill Trails Plan.  There is also funding for Wingpointe infrastructure ($800,000) that could be better used for the Foothill Trails Plan.
  There is a good plan to replace the 1700 S. 1100 E. traffic signal with a system that uses loop detection of vehicles and bicycles.  There are several CIP proposals that are unfunded.  They include: traffic calming planning for 1025 E. Hollywood ($50,000 unfunded), 1300 S. camping resistant landscaping (unfunded - ironic since the City is proposing putting a porta potty on 1300 S. (see below blog entry), and the Kensington bicycle byway ($400,000 unfunded).  There is also $247,000 unused transportation fundding that shouldd be used for free fare on mass transit.
  Also unfunded (or even considered) is a safe camping area for homeless.  Since we are not using and have not used 7 of 15 acres in Depot District for decades (last RDA meeting considered selling/giving a developer 4 acres), Salt Lake City should use CIP funds for homeless camping next to homeless services on Rio Grande.  Despite dreams, wishes and pressure, Catholic Community Services (nor Fourth Street Clinic) is not moving.

SLC SCOOTER HEARING LAST CHANCE AUG. 11
  The last chance to stop the continuation of threats to pedestrians by electric scooters is during the August 11 City Council 7PM Formal meeting.  The proposal is to tax one or two companies and give them exclusive access to the City.  Although there is discussion of limiting speed via geofencing downtown to 5MPH, tall buildings interfere with GPS signals and essentially make geofencing worthless.  So the City is effectively expecting the SLCPD to enforce the ordinance that makes it illegal to bicycle or ride scooters on sidewalks downtown.  Citizens should expect to see the Police running down sidewalks trying to catch and ticket 15MPH scooters!
  I have a better idea.  The City should require all scooter ccompanies to only provide scooters with a switch that switches between 5MPH and 15MPH.  The 5MPH should be used for sidewalks.  Bicycles and scooters going 5MPH or less should be allowed on all sidewalks, even downtown.  Please consider commenting at council.comments@slcgov.com or you can send emails to the email list of Councilmembers on the right (below downloads).

PALACIOS WAS A THREAT AND POTENTIAL KILLER
  The torture and murder of George Floyd by a cop should be protested.  But for some insane reason, many protesters have equated the Salt Lake City Police shooting of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal as a great example of police brutality.  Protesters became violent when the DA, Sim Gill (one of the most ethical people I know) said that the shooting was justified according to Utah law.  He also suggested that the Legislature consider changing the law so that police observe imminent danger before using deadly force and limit use of force in these situations to crimes involving extreme violence.
  Lex Scott, self founder of Black Lives Matter in Utah, said:
“Sim Gill continuously denies justice to the families of police brutality victims. Anyone who truly believes in the criminal justice system knows that people accused of crimes deserve to have their day in court. Black Lives Matter Utah will continue to work for a system that will not allow police to shoot fleeing suspects in the back. There is no honor in what the police did. Officers should work to preserve life, de-escalate situations and make sure that people survive interactions with police. We would say that we are disappointed in Sim’s decision, but we have come to expect nothing but injustice from Sim.” 
  I don't know how much more disrespectful one can be to the memory of George Floyd than to equate his death with the shooting of a criminal who had just robbed 3 at gunpoint and refused to drop his fully loaded semi automatic weapon when he was surrounded by police!  Gun toting criminals are NOT nonviolent!  Palacios was on probation for a robbery and he obviously was an imminent threat to the community and neighborhood that was expected to soon have many more people on the street.  
  If there was ever a justified police shooting, this was it.  Despite that, the family of Palacios have successfully commandeered the protests to focus on their family member's shooting and equated his shooting with the torture and murder of George Floyd!  I can't think of a better way to disrespect George Floyd.

UTA SUBSIDIZING VIA TRANSIT RIDERS $45
  During a quarterly update of the Via Southwest Salt Lake County transit system utilizing Uber style support to deliver riders to nearby transit routes, UTA's Board of Trustees was ecstatic at the report that UTA was subsidizing each rider at $40 a rider which was down from $45 at the beginning of the period.  The goal was supposed to be around $19 per rider.  That will never happen.  But no worries, Salt Lake County has a brand new tax that allows UTA to waste lots of money on subsidizing riders.  That is how UTA can plan for expanding FrontRunner to Brigham City, double track and electrify the system and continue to subsidize night riders at over a thousand dollars (in April).

SLC HAS STATED THAT CYCLE TRACKS DON'T NEED MAINTENANCE
  There is a statement in the SLC CIP proposal that "there is no additional maintnenance for cycle tracks".  That statement might reflect the City's maintenance plan for cycle tracks (no maintenance).  But cycle tracks, separated bike lanes need regular maintenance to remove road debris that collects in the tracks.  The debris decreases the ability for emergency maneuvers.  Regular maintenance of cycle tracks is expensive and difficult.  In the first year, the 300 South cycle track maintenance cost almost half a million in equipment cost.  And the small tractors/vehicles still had to be modified.  Maintenance of cycle tracks is expensive but almost never planned, as the CIP budget said.

SLC STILL CLOSING PARK RESTROOMS, PUTTING THEM IN PARKING LOTS
  Salt Lake City is still closing restrooms in parks and trying to stop outdoor activities in the parks.  But the City is also proposing to install portable restrooms on 13th South!  So the restrooms will be available to the homeless on 13th South but not in the parks!!!!  I know.  But to someone, in the City, it makes sense!  It is like telling kids to play in streets after dark!  But wait!  We are we doing that! (The City is still encouraging pedestrian and bicycle use on some streets but not limiting it to daylight hours, unlike other cities.)


SLC NEEDS WALKING POLICE PATROLS
  The Ballpark Community Council was surprised and disappointed to hear a presentation by VOA to place a portable restroom on the southwest area of the Smith's Ballfield 13th South parking lot.  The proposal was upsetting to most but several complained about the lack of sanitation facilities in the area despite the large number of homeless and drug addicts that use every alley and out of the way plantings to defecate and urinate.  In addition, the City refuses to address the concentration of homeless and criminals and drug dealers at the 7/11s and stores in the area.  The 7/11 on West Temple, a block from the Horizonte School, has become the local hangout for drug dealing and criminal homeless activity.  Even the homeless shelter on Paramount is a threat to adjacent businesses.  At the last City Council meeting, there were several complaints about being threatened with weapons by individuals near the shelter.  The City gave an implied promise that there would be security there but that hasn't been fulfilled.  The City did put in a mobile cop cam trailer but the drug users broke it.
  South Track/State Street and North Track/North Temple both have been crime magnets and Salt Lake City has not been able to effectively address the issue and decrease criminal activity.  It is time for walking police patrols.  They are not necessarily to arrest or harass but to discourage criminal activity.

SLC WASTES TIME IGNORING CHILDCARE PLANNING
  The City Council, again, just like every year, continues to complain about the lack of affordable daycare.  The CIP budget goes into great detail, just like every year.  There continues to be an undercurrent of effort to kick out the the Leonardo and use it for a daycare center but I would be concerned about the cost to make it earthquake resistent.  Even the supposedly earthquake proof City County Building had damage during the recent Magna earthquake.  
  On the other hand, the City keeps ignoring the Bennion School on 800 East and 450 South.  It is earthquake proof and it needs more students to stay open.  But it has less than 300 and needs more students.  After school child care would help but the City School Board refuses to pay more than $10 per hour and that doesn't provide enough employees for child care.  The building has enough space for regular daycare and that would attract many more students and it would keep the school open.

911 AUDIT AND POLICE REPORT BACK ON DOWNLOADS
  I put last year's 911 Audit and SLCPD Analysis/Report in the downloads again.  I thought that it would make sense since the SLC Council has been talking about a Police audit.  The IACP already essentially did one last year.  In December, the Council again discussed it.  But the new protests seem to have reconsidered the need for another audit.  The last ones essentially said that the City needed more cops and 911 dispatchers.

​

JULY 6, 2020
SLC THREATENS SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND CARS
SLC STILL DOES NOT LIMIT SCOOTERS TO 5MPH ON SIDEWALKS
UNSAFE STREETS CONTINUE TO THREATEN NIGHT USERS
SLC SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTS POLICE BRUTALITY PUBLISHED
SLC DESTROYING MILLER PARK WITH OIL
ACLU AND BLM IGNORE UTAH LEGISLATURE EFFORTS
VOCAL MINORITY WANTS TO STOP FREEWAY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS
CS GAS KILLS KIDS AND SHOULD BE BANNED BY POLICE
SLC STILL WORST AT WASTING WATER
SLC COUNCIL THOUGHTS GOOD READING
EIS LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON COULD GIVE DEVELOPER MILLIONS
SLC NEEDS COMMENTS ON COMPLETER STREETS
SLC ABOUT TO APPROVE CONGESTION ON 2100 S
SLC POLICE HAD ONE QUESTIONABLE USE OF FORCE
200 SOUTH SURVEY DOESN'T TELL YOU IT IS DONE DEAL


SLC THREATENS SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND CARS
  SLC has a survey to be finished by July 31 at: https://www.slc.gov/planing/2019/12/03/affordable-housing-overlay
  It appears to ask for comments on Planning's suggestions to increase housing in the City.  Unfortunately, the City's plans suggest that they are trying to increase density in single family home neighborhoods and also increase density along arterial streets (which are already at capacity).  SLC should be protecting the single family home neighborhoods which are part of our character.  Putting more density on arterials increases pollution, left hand turns and dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists.
  Instead of destroying single family home neighborhoods, the City should be focusing on the best unused housing potential in the City, State Street.  The RDA, almost 5 years ago, suggest that almost 2000 more housing units could easily fit in the corridor and that is one reason for approving the CRA redevelopment of State Street.  Unfortunately, the City did not convince the Board of Education to agree to it until last year.  SLC RDA has owned and stalled development of 7 of 15 acres in Depot for decades.  That also could have thousands of units in high rises.  The City Council recently balked at high rises in the area.
  I urge everyone to comment, as they want, on the survey.  In my opinion, the proposal (I put it in the downloads section.) throws out protection of single family zoned homes.  

Despite problems with ADUs, the City seems to want to allow all single family zoned areas to have ADUs without further hearings! It would allow accessory dwelling units in single-family neighborhoods without a conditional use process if one of the units on the property is affordable?

It would allow two family duplex units in single family areas if at least one of the two units is affordable!

It would allow townhomes within 1/4 mile of frequent buses or on busier streets (increasing congestion on busier streets) if at least 50% of the units is affordable.

It would allow tiny homes up to 400 sq ft and cottages up to 850 sq ft within 1/4 mile from 15 minute buses or on busier streets if at least 50% of the units are affordable.

It would require just one parking space for two family, townhouse units.

It would allow a 50% to 75% reduction in RMF (multi family) lot area per unit (30% ami or less no density requirements).

It reduces lot size (and setbacks by up to 25%) by up to 40% if the new lots average at least the same lot size as others on the block face on one side of the street.  (average lot coverage could not exceed the average of the block face or 50% whichever is greater)

It allows flags lots (behind the main lot).

It allows alleyway construction/housing

It allows adaptive reuse of schools, churches and large houses if percentage affordable is deed restricted (inclusionary zoning).  This means that a school or church could become affordable housing in the middle of single family home neighborhoods!

The proposal will not only destroy the character of single family home neighborhoods, it will result in the loss of thousands of trees in our urban forest.  Our urban tree canopy will not recover for decades.

The City says: "These questions gauge support for modifying regulations for low and medium density residential districts when affordable housing is included as part of the development."

   Again, in my opinion, SLC should be protecting the single family homes neighborhood which are part of out character.
Putting more density on arterials increases pollution, left hand turns and dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists.
  The problem with ADUs is that Airbnb is being used for short term rentals.  SLC allows short term rental "in the zones that allow other nightly rentals, such as hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts.  In those zones, someone has to license their unit as one of these types of uses to do nightly or short term (less than 30 days) rentals. The only residential zones that allow one of these uses (bed and breakfast) are the mixed use residential districts (RB, RMU-35, RMU_45, RMU, RO ). It is possible that there would be single family dwellings in these zones.  In these zones, ADUs are permitted uses because the zones already allow duplexes, townhomes, and multi-family developments. A Bed and Breakfast is also permitted in a designated Landmark site with a conditional use. These could be in any zone but they have to be a landmark site and the building has to be over 7,000 square feet in size.  Enforcement is handled by Civil Enforcement within Building Services."

SLC STILL DOES NOT LIMIT SCOOTERS TO 5MPH ON SIDEWALKS
  On July 14, the SLC Council will have a public hearing on the new proposed scooter ordinance.  But it still is not forcing the scooter company (only one or two will be authorized) to add a sidewalk 5MPH and street 15MPH switch to allow scooters to safely, at 5MPH go on sidewalks.  The City Transportation Department has discussed geofencing to decrease their speed in the downtown area but the problem is the tall buildings interfere with proper operation.  If the scooters can be limited by geofencing, they can more easily be limited by a switch.  And Councilwoman Amy Fowler is right to ask that the City consider decriminalizing some useless actions.  One of the first should be removing the law against using a bicycle on downtown sidewalks.  It is not enforced. 


UNSAFE STREETS CONTINUE TO THREATEN NIGHT USERS
  SLC removed the local traffic only signs on the following streets:
500 North, 900 S, Stratford, 200 W and Kensington.  
  The streets that will remain open for pedestrians, bikers and others recreating are:
Emery Street between 400 South and Harrison,
Wasatch Drive between 1300 South and Crestview Drive,
600 East between 600 South and 900 South,
800 East between 800 South and 1700 South,
4th Avenue between E Street and N Street.
  But I am hearing from residents that there have been close calls at night on streets where kids think that drivers will defer to them.  Other cities that open streets to pedestrians remove barriers at night for safety reasons.
  There is still negative pushback when pedestrians and bicyclists do not allow vehicles to pass and the one lane areas of 600E and 800 E (north of 900 S) are of a concern.  It is ironic that those areas already have a mini park for people in the median.
  And again, SLC should engage with the community councils when planning transportation projects.  Surveys tend to leave out older, long term residents who don't feel comfortable with online surveys.
  People, especially kids, should not be encouraged to walk, play or bike in streets at night!

SLC SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTS POLICE BRUTALITY PUBLISHED
  The Salt Lake Tribune published by opinion on SLC's successful efforts to decrease police brutality at:
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/202/06/26/george-chapman-salt-lake
  Despite all of the protests, the City, the Mayor and the Council has consistently and successfully pushed the SLCPD to decrease violence used in the effort to arrest law breakers.  Protesters have not seen the efforts the City has made over the years to successfully fight police brutality.  I went into more detail in previous blog entries over the last month.
  The most egregious protest was from the LGBTQ+ community that claimed that the City and Police are anti LGBTQ+!  That statement is laughable dumb and shows the ignorance of protesters.  I know that there are several councilmembers that have devoted their lives and careers in and out of government to ensure that this City is fair, welcoming and respectful for everyone.

SLC DESTROYING MILLER PARK WITH OIL
  Several years ago, Mayor Ted Wilson was worried that the City would end up destroying Miller Park Bird Refuge in Yalecrest.  His predictions are coming true.  The City continues to spray herbicide with oil like contamination on the so called nuisance trees.  One of the types of trees in the Park that they are trying to kill is the black locust which was planted in the Park to stabilize the slopes.  Their roots go down 20 feet, unlike most other trees.  In addition, they attract woodpeckers which can create homes for other birds.  So the birds have not returned to Miller Park and Ted Wilson was right.

ACLU AND BLM IGNORE UTAH LEGISLATURE EFFORTS
  ACLU and BLM continue to demand changes that were implemented long ago.  Their latest demands include:
1) Create effective civilian review boards.  (the Legislature removed their power since they seemed to be anti police from the start).
2) Improve use of force policies.  (SLC already does this regularly)
3) End qualified immunity as a defense against civil rights violations by police.  (This will probably take an act of Congress)
4) Standardize body camera use and body camera policies.  (SLC has a reasonable 10 day release so ACLU should go to other cities)
5) Require law enforcement data collection on race and ethnicity.  (This may be helpful but it is already done and acted on)
6) Stop the revolving door that keeps problematic officers in uniform. (This is due to the over 10 law enforcement organizations in Salt Lake County.  We have been trying for 10 years to get one Countywide law enforcement organization with one 911 emergency dispatch (there are three now) for the County.  That would help but it will take the Legislature to force the issue and it does not appear to be politically feasible)
7) Eliminate no-knock and quick-knock warrants.  (Done by the Legislature years ago due to the death of an officer during a drug raid)
8) Remove police from schools.  (Michael Clara, when he was on the School Board, successfully decreased the school to prison pipeline with SLCPD resource officers decreasing arresting students.

VOCAL MINORITY WANTS TO STOP FREEWAY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS
  UDOT is planning on adding another lane to eastbound I80 during the resurfacing and bridge replacement projects scheduled in Sugar House for the next few years.  Several residents expressed concern during the UDOT presentation that it would encourage more use of the freeway.  But if it is not expanded, congestion and pollution would get much worse.  It is bad now with backups of miles during evening rush hour.  A recent newspaper story emphasized the home building in the Heber area and there is no stopping people interested in moving into the area east of Parleys Canyon.  UDOT also intends to use a pavement that should create less road noise.  Of course, all of the trucks that travel west are going to use engine downshifts to brake and that will continue to be noisy.  The Parleys Trail will have the highway 12 ft closer but the difference is negligible since it still should be called the big rig noise trail (it is on the south side since the Country Club refused to allow the Trail on the north side).

CS GAS KILLS KIDS AND SHOULD BE BANNED BY POLICE
  Propublica.org had a recent article on CS gas that is just the tip of the iceberg (I did a study at UofU on it.) SLC does use tear gas (by SWAT) but it can kill children whose lungs do not have the power to take in enough oxygen when their aerioli are spasming!  SLC Police should never use CS tear gas, especially in closed spaces.  And trying to help kids by having them wear a gas mask will kill them because your lungs have to have the power of an adult, enough power to take in the oxygen through the gas mask filters.  It is an interesting read.

SLC STILL WORST AT WASTING WATER
  Despite one of the hottest months ever, SLC insists on watering during the day in several parks.  The sprinklers in Fairmont Park from 3pm to 6pm have obviously stopped all use of the playing fields.  I want to see what happens when the City runs out of water budgeted and stops watering our Parks.  It happened a few years ago until complaints by cemetery users convinced them that they should water.  The City also stopped watering 30% of Bonneville Golf Course!  

SLC COUNCIL THOUGHTS GOOD READING
  Councilman Andrew Johnston has been providing interesting comments on the SLC Council's deliberations.  I encourage you to Google SLC.gov and Andrew Johnston Meeting Thoughts or go to:
www.slc.gov/district2/tag/coucil0member-johnston-meeting-thoughts

EIS LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON COULD GIVE DEVELOPER MILLIONS
  I put the summary of the EIS for Little Cottonwood Canyon in downloads to the right.  UDOT is conducting a very professional analysis, despite significant pressure from former Senate President Wayne Neiderhauser who is still pushing the State to pay for and use a parking garage that is part of his development along with a very expensive gondola.  Wayne got the Legislature to pass SB71 which authorized a toll road for the Canyon with the plan to use the tolls to pay for the parking garage (he admitted it during the bill's discussion).  The EIS comments close July 10 and the cheapest alternative, and most fiscally responsible alternative, in my opinion, is buses (starting with weekends) and snow sheds.  A gondola would cost billions (from Wayne's property), a gondola closer to the canyon would cost $400 plus million, a wider road with a bus lane would cost around $400 million and buses would cost less than $300 million (I think that it would be much less).  A bus is $500,000 to one million (for electric).

SLC NEEDS COMMENTS ON COMPLETER STREETS
  I put the Typologies proposal (reduced) in the downloads section to the right.  It proposes, in general, billions of projects for prettifying streets with separated bike lanes, streetcars, BRTs and 10 to 30MPH speeds!  I consider it a war on cars.  The only good thing about the proposal is that it has wider sidewalks but if a building has no setback and can go up 400 feet, it results in a canyon of concrete and steel and I think that discourages walking, even with 8-12 ft sidewalks (commercial shared street).
  Bus only lanes are inefficient use of space but we do need bus pullouts like on 400 South.  Unfortunately, UTA drivers often stay well into the street and force riders to step down (sometimes UTA adds an extra foot required to step down - I am not kidding) into the street.
  The dream of grand boulevards was tried on 500 South but the Legislature balked due to requiring private landowners to give up property (and car lots) to allow something like the 28 ft sidewalks in Paris.
  The lowering of speed limits, all less than 30MPH would seem to increase congestion and many would think of it as a war on cars.
  Rail and streetcars are not efficient!!! It seems to be a big excuse to spend money.  The three proposed ones in Salt Lake City would cost local taxpayers almost a half billion dollars!  The 132' urban street should not have any rail.
  The maintenance of separated bike lanes on almost all streets is not realistic.  Bicyclists would rather have 10 ft wide bike lanes with plenty of room to make emergency maneuvers.
  Destination streets are 20MPH.  Destination thoroughares are 25MPH.  Residential streets are reduced to 15mph which is essentially a war on cars!
  If the recent protests are having any effect, why waste money (almost a billion!) on fancy projects when we need affordable housing more.
  Where is there a possibility for a shared neighborhood street.  After dark, without commercial lighting, residential streets are dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists.
  I can't think of an urban village street.  All of these typologies should have examples to tell everyone the realistic plans so they can see what is really going to happen.
  There should be a cost for each of these proposals by block, including the "green loop".  Financial considerations should be important for governments.  
  Some older and limited people have difficulty getting to bus stops via separated bike lanes.  The City is actually making it harder to navigate City streets while older.  It encourages older people to move to the suberbs where people can cross a street without a obstacle course.
  The urban street has a raised bikelane and is shared?
  How about starting with State Street which needs form based zoning, wider sidewalks, a 10 minute regular bus with bus pullouts and bike lanes (after removing the useless center median).
  This looks like an excuse to spend over a billion dollars that would be better used in inclusionary form based, mixed use, mixed income buildings on commercial corridors like State Street.

SLC ABOUT TO APPROVE CONGESTION ON 2100 S
  There is a project proposal for 2100 South between 500 and 600 East (there is a project on the north and south side of the street) called High Boy Izzy South project that destroys 2100 S. traffic throughput.  It adds 4 driveways onto 2100 South!
  The proposed project (Case number PLNPCM2020-00222) adds driveways to 2100 South and decreases safety for pedestrians and bicyclists due to the encouragement of more traffic exiting and entering the project from 2100 South (4+ driveways).
  It effectively destroys a major east west bicycle route and does not increase sidewalk width.  Left hand turns are 3 times more likely to kill or severely injure pedestrians and bicyclists.  Senior citizens are most at risk of being killed in a left hand turn.  Median age of bicyclists and pedestrians killed by left hand turns is 67 years old.  36% of all accidents occur during a turn.  And left hand turns are two times more fatal than right hand turns.
  The buildings should have ground floor retail to encourage mixed use which was what the area's last major rezone planned (the Sugar House Streetcar Form Based Zoning).  The design effectively creates a zombie building.  That encourages unwalkable areas since the ground floor is closed to pedestrians.
  Adding entrances and exits onto major arterials like 2100 South will back up traffic and increase air pollution on a road that is maxed out at almost 18,000 ADT.  The result will be like the Chick A Fil restaurant (1200 East) that backs up eastbound traffic on 2100 S during evening rush hour.  Poor planning effectively increases pollution in that case and it is also part of this plan. 
  Due to the significant danger to pedestrians and bicyclists that this project creates, I urge Planning to find that it should not be approved.  I would not be so against this project if all of the exits and entrances were on 600 East and 500 East which have much less traffic.  This project, as planned, will kill.

SLC POLICE HAD ONE QUESTIONABLE USE OF FORCE
  Several citizens asked about the older gentleman who was pushed down by a police officer during the protest/riot.  This is the statement from the SLCPD:
"We have said from the moment that it happened that one of our officers was involved in a incident during the riot where an elderly man was pushed. The media all covered it extensively and we informed the media that the officer was taken off the street and put on a modified duty. If you look at the footage from the riot, and you will see more coming out in the next couple days, it was a dynamic situation that was occurring and our officers conducted themselves very well considering. One incident should not cloud peoples opinion of this department. There is an internal affairs process that is being conducted as is done with any use of force complaint."
  I know a lot of police officers and I believe that most in this City try very hard to not push anyone.  They try to de-escalate and the City Council pushes that.

200 SOUTH SURVEY DOESN'T TELL YOU IT IS DONE DEAL
  The City is asking for feedback on a survey about what the citizens want for the 200 South reconstruction.  But, the survey appears to justify the decisions that have already been made.  It asks if a multi-modal transit center should be built but the $400,000 project was approved last year.  The $67 million BRT project, the South Davis BRT, was approved several years ago!
  "As part of the Funding Our Future bond, Salt Lake City will reconstruct 200 South from 400 West to 900 East starting in 2022. To begin the process, the City is initiating a corridor plan in partnership with Salt Lake County and UTA. The study will evaluate transit and mobility improvements and a transit hub to serve as a focal point where different modes of travel - walking, biking, transit, and shared mobility - seamlessly converge.  The study will also evaluate a multi-modal transit center to serve as a focal point where different modes of travel – walking, biking, transit, and shared mobility – seamlessly converge."
  Instead of fancy center islands, BRTs, and wide center turn lanes, the City needs to recognize that to encourage bicycling, you need 10 ft wide bikelanes.  Bicyclists often like to ride side by side!  Any interference of wide bike lanes (with bulbouts and islands) should not be allowed.
  "How would you prioritize funding and resources for a Transit Hub in the downtown core?" was specifically asked but again, it is already approved.  The City is also asking if "Drinking fountains and/or bathrooms to enhance comfort and desirability of space" are a good idea!  I don't think that there are enough homeless in the neighborhood of 200 South near Sprouts, to make good use of the bathrooms.
 SLC should stop wasting money on a useless bus station!   Get UTA to drive to curb instead of making us step into the street.  A transit hub does not make sense since there is only one regular east west bus (220, 200, 200x).  There are a couple of express buses a day but not enough to build a $400,000 building!
  Although the survey is supposed to be closed, you could always tell the City what you think.
Comment Line: 855-SLC-200S (855-752-2007) Email: 200South@slcgov.com Website: https://www.slc.gov/mystreet/200-south-corridor-plan/

JUNE 21, 2020
SLC COUNCIL TAKES $5 MIL FROM POLICE NOT
SLCPD MAY STOP HIRING WOMEN, MINORITIES AND EVERYONE ELSE
UTA GETS GREEN LIGHT FOR LEHI TRAX FROM FEDS
DANGEROUS SAFER STREETS TO END JULY 1
UDOT PROVES VEHICLES DRIVE GDP
LIBERTY PARK AREA WANTS MORE COPS
SLC WASTES WATER AND STOPS SOCCER FIELD USE
EMIGRATION CANYON STAYS OPEN FOR BIKES UNTIL JULY 7
SLC SHOULD DECRIMINALIZE BIKES ON DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS
CAPITOL AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING TO STATE ST
200 S CORRIDOR PLAN NEEDS REALITY CHECK
500 EAST TO SHARE ROAD WITH BIKES
21ST SOUTH PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS RESET FOR BIKES
SLC PLANS FOOTHILL CHANGES
UDOT FIGHTS FOR EXTRA I80 LANE
PRESIDENT SENDS LETTER CLAIMING CREDIT FOR STIMULUS


SLC COUNCIL TAKES $5 MIL FROM POLICE NOT
  In an incredible accounting effort, the Salt Lake City Council announced that they cut over $5 million from the SLCPD budget for the next year.  They acknowledged that such an effort will not be satisfactory to the hundreds of citizens who commented over the last few weeks of public hearings and that demanded a $30 million reduction in the Salt Lake City Police budget.
  But the reality is that the City Council moved the social workers, costing over $2 million, that were originally in the Police budget to another account.  The Council also moved almost $3 million to a holding account to be used later for Police or other future requirements.  The result is that SLCPD services are not decreased.
  Despite all of the effort to defund Police and protest Police in minority areas, the Police will continue to patrol and protect the westside of Salt Lake City.  Those who have been protesting did not realize that the westside of Salt Lake City has been begging for more police on patrol in their areas.  During former Mayor Becker's Administration, there was often only one Police patrol car patrolling the area west of I15!  
  Just before he was replaced, the Council, led by Councilwoman Mendenhall (who is now Mayor) and Councilman Derek Kitchen demanded and added 50 new officers (partially paid for by the federal government).  The Administration tried to stop the addition of police by claiming that there was not enough room at the Academy!  The Council staff corrected the Asst Chief and showed that the Council could add the new cops. 
  This effort was preceded by the westside demanding more visible police and the eastside claiming that there were not enough cops.  Chief Brown later repurposed officers from desk duty to patrol and almost doubled officers on patrol to close to 200.  He also required teams of two officers in a patrol car to decrease the potential for a suspect trying to physically attack one officer.  This was a recommendation of the SLC Civilian Review Board after a shooting in the Avenues (the officer involved had his arm broken and was about to be attacked again when he killed the man).  
  The point of all of this is that, despite the protests of thousands in SLC, tens of thousands wanted more visible cops on patrol.  They believed that more visible cops would deter criminal activities.  They were right and serious crime in SLC has significantly decreased.

SLCPD MAY STOP HIRING WOMEN, MINORITIES AND EVERYONE ELSE
  Under pressure from protesters, SLC has implemented a hiring freeze that also stops recruitment of minorities and women.  This City's SLCPD desperately needs more of both.  The study of the SLCPD last year, pointed out as low key as possible, that there is only one woman above the rank of Sergeant in the Department.  That is a big warning sign. 

UTA GETS GREEN LIGHT FOR LEHI TRAX FROM FEDS
  The Trump Administration FTA has announced funding to plan 4 TRAX stations for the TRAX extension from Draper to Lehi.  But UTA and the State have not finished public outreach and a survey so this is a questionable done deal.  The property owners near the TRAX stations should be paying for the extension with an assessment district. 
  Salt Lake County has had a problem with lack of east west freeways.  The WFRC has planned, in the 2050 plan, increasing the width of several east west streets instead of planning and building several east west freeways to decrease congestion of traffic going to the southwest part of SLCO.
  Rep. Christiansen has asked the Legislature to discuss this issue over the Interim Session.

DANGEROUS SAFER STREETS TO END JULY 1
  The Safer Streets/Stay Active streets will open up for all traffic July 1.  Some neighborhoods loved the effort.  Some hated it.  Besides the complaints by businesses, concerned with negative impact on business, there were complaints about dangerous near accidents, especially at night.  Even driving at slow speed, when it is dark, several drivers have had close calls with pedestrians and bicyclists who feel that vehicles don't belong or weren't expected on the street.
  In addition, the 600 East and 800 East streets north of 900 South have center medians that effectively make the street one lane without any room for emergency maneuvers and limit speed, with non vehicle users, to less than 5mph.  That increases air pollution and frustration of drivers.  The best way to have done this was to go through the community councils to ensure that the neighborhoods were supportive of this.

UDOT PROVES VEHICLES DRIVE GDP
  I put the UDOT Legislative presentation that shows the correlation between vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and gross domestic product (GDP).  Personal vehicles make our families, our economy and our Country more efficient.

LIBERTY PARK AREA WANTS MORE COPS
  During the Liberty Wells Community Council meeting this month, one attendee (in the virtual meeting) suggested a letter that encouraged the SLC Council to decrease police funding.  But the Liberty Park market often needs police officers to decrease interference by homeless and others that create problems.  The area has pushed for more police patrols.  The former Councilwoman and now Mayor promised more police officers and has been pushing for restoring the SLCPD bicycle patrols for eastside parks.  The Community, as most of the City, wants more police patrols.

SLC WASTES WATER AND STOPS SOCCER FIELD USE
  SLC Parks and Open Space has been watering Fairmont Park (and other parks) during the heat of the day.  It isn't just a waste of water by a City Department that sometimes runs out of water during hot summers (and stops watering City gardens, medians and the cemetery), it stops anyone from using the fields.  Normally, at this time of year, soccer games are usually using the fields.

EMIGRATION CANYON STAYS OPEN FOR BIKES UNTIL JULY 7
  Emigration Canyon resurfacing project, rushed through without notice by the Emigration Canyon Township Council (approved in March, announced in May), has received such a big pushback that the County Metropolitan Service District (managing the project for the Township) has convinced the contractor to not ban bicycles (see last week's blog) until after the July Fourth holiday.  Bicycles will be able to use the road until July 7.

SLC SHOULD DECRIMINALIZE BIKES ON DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS
  Councilwoman Amy Fowler asked that the City look at decriminalizing various illegal activities.  She has experience as a public defender and recognizes that many illegal actions in the City do not need to be illegal.  Former Police Chief Burbank ordered tickets for jaywalking to be stopped when he realized that the homeless were being unfairly targeted.  Some of the homeless were getting dozens of tickets in the Rio Grande area.
  Councilwoman Fowler has a great idea and the City should start by decriminalizing riding bicycles on downtown sidewalks.  Many tourists use the Green Bikes on the sidewalks and only a handful of tickets have been issued by police.  Usually it is just one ticket a year.  
  The use of scooters (a new scooter policy is coming) on the sidewalks is the biggest threat but the City has not pushed to limit speed on sidewalks.

CAPITOL AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING TO STATE ST
  The SLC Housing Authority is planning to raze the Capitol Motel on 17th South and State soon and will build a complex of mixed income housing including 400 square feet microunits that will start at $400/ month.h

200 S CORRIDOR PLAN NEEDS REALITY CHECK
  Salt Lake City is putting out a survey to see what citizens want on 200 South which is scheduled to be reconstructed in the next two years.  But the reality is that the City and WFRC and UTA are pushing to build a $67 million (local taxpayer funding) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and are looking for an excuse to justify the money spent.  The City and UTA are also pushing and have planned for a $400,000 bus transfer station around 700 East and 200 South.  But there are no regular buses that go north and south and the 200 South and 220 buses have frequency close to 10 minutes and are a tenth of the cost of a BRT.  The BRT is being pushed by Davis County and SLC is essentially required to pay for the City's portion.  220 and 200 South sometimes come within a minute of each other due to poor scheduling. 
  The City also refuses to remove the wide center turn lane and replace it with wider bicycle lanes.  To comment on the plan, email:
200south@slcgov.com 

500 EAST TO SHARE ROAD WITH BIKES
  The City has decided to increase pollution along 500 East by putting in sharrows going south on 500 East that will require vehicles and buses to stay behind bicyclists that will have the same priority as vehicles.  This is a questionable decision.

21ST SOUTH PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS RESET FOR BIKES
  The pedestrian crossings on 21st South east of 700 East are being reconfigured to stop use of two crosswalks going north south.  The City has removed one of the north south crosswalks and pedestrians should be encouraged to cross the street and use the one crosswalk crossing light left.  The City also installed bicycle pushbuttons next to the roadway to make it easier for bicyclists going north south to use the buttons.  This is a change from the original design and construction.  

SLC PLANS FOOTHILL CHANGES
  Salt Lake City has provided a report (in May) that lays out the City's proposed plan for Foothill Drive.  I put the Foothill Drive memo in the downloads.  The goals include:
• Preserving and enhancing the communities along the corridor.
• Enhancing safety for all who use the corridor.
• Enabling and encouraging all modes of transportation, including cycling,
walking, carpooling and public transit.
• Moving more people through the corridor more efficiently and easily.
• Creating an ongoing collaborative process for stakeholders to address future
challenges.

The plans include:
• A mobility hub in Research Park at the University of Utah.
• A trail and tunnel system at Red Butte Creek crossing.
• Pedestrian friendly improvements at the 2300 East intersection and other
locations, including adding additional crosswalks.
• Reconfiguration of travel lanes, including the addition of designated
carpool/transit lanes.
• Increased frequency and extended hours of UTA bus service, with enhanced bus
stops and potential operational improvements at intersections.
• Elimination of ‘free right’ turns at some intersections.

UDOT FIGHTS FOR EXTRA I80 LANE
  UDOT has decided that, during the repaving of I80 in Sugar House in the next few years, it would be helpful to add another lane for traffic.  The extra lane would help alleviate traffic backups during construction and also decrease congestion that is building on I80 eastbound going up Parleys Canyon. 
  The neighborhoods surrounding the freeway, already experience a lot of pollution from the backup and the extra lane should help decrease pollution.  UDOT also plans on paving with low noise pavement with vehicles which should help the noise. 
  But some in the community are protesting the extra lane and expecting more pollution and noise.  UDOT claims the opposite.  The reason for their objections are that extra lanes will encourage more traffic.  That is a theory that, in my opinion, does not accept that cars make our families, our economy and our Country more efficient (see above and the VMT vrs GDP downloads).  The reason for the increase in traffic is due to the opening up of more land for homes.  And driving an hour or two to get a dream home on the only reasonably priced property available is an incentive to those with dreams.  Ask Lt. Gov. Cox about why he drives 4 hours a day to and from his home to the Capitol, every day.  
  There is an effort by some in the Sugar House Community Council to stop UDOT from adding the extra lane.  They think that many more people should be riding inconvenient transit (UTA) or bicycles. 

PRESIDENT SENDS LETTER CLAIMING CREDIT FOR STIMULUS
  Finally, as a Republican, I received a letter from President Trump that implied credit for my stimulus check that was direct deposited last month.  It was sent by the Treasury Department and seemed to be a typical election letter.  But it was paid for by the taxpayers.  In this State, such a letter by the Governor would be illegal.  I wonder if Congress will complain and ask for the cost of mailing to be paid for by the President's re-election Committee.

JUNE 11, 2020
DESPITE PROTESTS,  SLC COUNCIL DECREASES POLICE VIOLENCE
SLCPD POLICIES ARE BETTER THAN PROTESTERS THINK
ACLU INSISTS THAT THE MAYOR READ THE CONSTITUTION
UDOT AND SLC TEST AUTOMATIC PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNALS
EMIGRATION CANYON TOWNSHIP STOPS ALL CYCLING IN CANYON
CITY INSISTS ON DESTROYING MORE TREES IN MILLER PARK

DESPITE PROTESTS, THE SLC COUNCIL EFFECTIVELY DECREASES POLICE VIOLENCE
  Salt Lake City continues to provide respectful and fair policing. Dozens of complaints last week complained that the City's Police treat the City's LGBTQ+ community disrespectfully. Our City is very fair and anyone who has watched the Council meetings for the last few years would understand how effectively our Mayors and City Councilmembers have reduced Police violence, intimidation and pushed de-escalation. 
  It is laughably dumb that anyone would disrespectfully claim that our Police are homophobic. If you knew of the anti-bias training and efforts by many in the Police Department and on the Council to ensure respectful Police public engagement. 
  I give credit to the Mayor and the Council for providing some humanity that is so desperately needed. Apologizing for the suffering of the family of a man recently shot by SLC Police is right and just. Being disturbed by the shooting video is appropriate due to their many efforts to decrease Police use of force. Again, the City has a policy of releasing body cam video of critical incidents within 10 days, well before any investigation is complete. Investigations can take months. This City leads on this issue with appropriate transparency and respect for family members to show that nothing is being hidden.
  Councilwoman Fowler has spent much of her life and career in and out of government fighting to ensure a free, fair and respectful City and State. I respect her concern about the shooting but I urge everyone to wait until the DA finishes his usually effective investigation before adding to the flames. I trust that this City, its Mayor and Council will push for better policing in our City.
  The torture and murder of George Floyd is separate from the recent police shooting. The two situations should not be combined and used to protest the racism and other discrimination in this Country. It should seem obvious that a man with a visible gun who refuses to drop it despite many warnings, and even when surrounded by our Police, he still seems to trip and then pick it up, is going to get shot. No one should ever think that a taser or pepper spray or baton would be a reasonable use of force to stop someone with a gun. Only a gun is reasonable force against a gun.
  Even the recent case of a Police shooting a man in the back (he had a knife), although more questionable, was found to be justified by one of the most respected judges of police action, Sim Gill. When the investigation is finished, I will trust Sim Gill to decide on the appropriateness of the shooting. But, as near as I can tell, from what I know from public information, the shooting may have been horrible and disturbing, but it was justified.
  I must add (and I repeat it during the entry on ACLU) that I do not think that the Mayor needs to read the Constitution. I keep having to remind people that, over the many years that I have watched the Council and Mayor, they have actually pushed the Bill of Rights, in some cases more than ACLU. 
  If you defund the police, who are you going to call when a spouse is beaten up, or someone is raped or robbed at gunpoint, or a store is robbed or threatened to be burned down? Who do you call when a heavily armed and armored man tries to kill hundreds of citizens from the Grand America Hotel? You call a police officer like Officer Uppsen Downes, who, after getting shot by the man, doesn't take cover but goes after him and shoots him. That policeman saved hundreds. That's what cops do. They save lives. They try to help. They reduce victimization. This City should publicize the actions of the police that save lives. 
  And for those wanting more push against the cops in this city, this council and mayor have spent most of their lives and careers in and out of government fighting for a respectful police force and for decreasing violence and for more accountability. The State legislature and County is more responsible for not providing appropriate nor respectful funding for housing, education, mental health, drug treatment or homeless. This Council and Mayor fight for better funding. 
  Again, you don't have to march to get heard by the Police, this chief or the Councilmembers.  They have many meetings around the city every month with citizens.  Please stay involved in our City and go to the meetings to understand the efforts of our elected leaders and police and the limitations.  Please stay involved.  Look up the community councils and participate.  The City would greatly benefit from all of you continuing to stay involved in pushing, with your passion, for a better city.
  I know the Mayor and Council want better Police accountability and less use of force.  I suggest several things that would help.
  A recent Las Vegas study found that "foot pursuits often ended in excessive use of force". I do not think that this applies in this case, but it would be helpful to have a policy that an officer chasing a suspect should not be the arresting officer who secures the suspect. The Police Department uses two person teams that sometimes helps this but maybe the policy should be emphasized.
  All arrests and raids should require everybody involved to have their body cams activated and recording (which is policy now) but it should be emphasized.
  Require all POST certified officers to testify in any and all investigations of shootings or use of force by law enforcement, whether they are the witness or the person delivering the force. I disagree with FOP and Rawlings recommendations that officers not testify during investigations of police shootings.
  Require a new State file that the Utah Department of Public Safety hosts that contains complaints, investigations, and results on law enforcement personnel in the State (that may expand to nationwide).
  Increase available and interested recruits by Salt Lake City developing a child-care facility (Bennion still needs more students and hosting a child care facility would increase sibling registrations at the School).
  Many of these suggestions will require the State to implement them.

SLCPD POLICIES ARE BETTER THAN PROTESTERS THINK
  The Salt Lake City Police Department tracks crime and police use of force with the Compstat data (Google SLCPD and Compstat). It also tracks arrest data by City Council District.
  Although the City Police trains to not use chokeholds or neck restraints or rubber bullets, it turned out that the policy is not written down. It is as of today. Only when use of deadly force is needed and life is at risk are the holds/restraints allowed. The only time that the Police use tear gas is if the person is barricaded and a specific squad is trained for it.  
  The SLCPD uses foam or specialized plastic bullets. The rubber bullets that were used during the riots were shot by other agencies that were called in. The Chief said that he is proposing a metro training effort to train all Valley law enforcement together to ensure that other agencies know the City's policies and will abide by them (especially with regards to not using rubber bullets). The Police do not shoot at vehicles unless a vehicle is shooting. The Police have been training for around 5 months to use beanbags but they need more training before deployment.
  After the Avenues shooting when a man with a shovel broke an officer's arm and then was shot, the Civilian Review Board recommended that two answer all calls. The Department agreed and has implemented that policy. It also allows that other officer, when they believe that the situation is inappropriately escalating, to say "909" which is the code word for step back and let your partner handle the situation.
  The Police believe that the social workers that the Mayor and Council put with the Police that deal with homeless has been effective. In one case, one homeless woman costs $250,000 in mental health hospital stays but after a year of contact with a social worker, she became self-sufficient and saved hundreds of thousands. More funding is needed, and more trained therapists and social workers need to be recruited. The Legislature has been pushing that with Rep. Eliason sponsoring many bills that increase support for mental health compromised individuals. He has also sponsored a Mobile Crisis Outreach Team that tries to handle those issues in a low key many and in the process, result in better outcomes and saving a lot of money.

ACLU INSISTS THAT THE MAYOR READ THE CONSTITUTION
  In one of the most disrespectful and clueless communications from ACLU of Utah that I have ever seen (second to their refusal to fight a stupid anti-abortion bill a few years ago), along with Black Lives Matter Utah, they put out a list of "valid demands". The list of demands that they called wants starts off with a complaint against the curfew and then goes downhill from there.  I put my comments about their statements in CAPS.
A statement from Black Lives Matter Utah and the ACLU of Utah 
 Yesterday, amidst mounting criticism by community members, Mayor Mendenhall did the right thing by lifting the curfew order for Salt Lake City. And yet, we know the curfew caused harm to Black, Brown, refugee and immigrant communities who are already overpoliced and disproportionately affected by the current pandemic. More policing directly leads to more policing of Black and Brown people. The ACLU of Utah feels privileged to have heard from these communities and use our platform to reflect these facts. 
MORE POLICING, IF DONE RIGHT DECREASES CRIME FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING EVERYONE.
The city’s curfew was the wrong approach for several reasons. By picking and choosing the kinds of activities that were allowed, the curfew ended up targeting only free speech, assembly, and other protest activities. People who have cars to drive, people who feel comfortable talking to police, and people who can assume they won’t be targeted by law enforcement did not consider the curfew a big deal. Residents of the predominantly white or otherwise insulated neighborhoods of Salt Lake City felt free to violate the curfew order without risk of arrest and freely enjoyed the very public spaces that the curfew forbade. We know this is not how everyone experiences a city-wide curfew.
THE CURFEW WAS ENACTED AFTER RIOTING, BURNING, DEFACING AND BREAKING INTO STORES/LOOTING. A CURFEW IS AN APPROPRIATE METHOD TO DECREASE THOSE CRIMES.
From the moment the order came down, the fear among Black, Brown, refugee and immigrant communities was palpable. People in these communities felt the risk of leaving their homes, even for a purpose allowed under the order. The curfew was reinforced with police-state tactics such as emergency alerts and low-flying helicopters. This escalation of police power flew directly in the face of the kinds of reforms that Black and Brown voices and leaders are demanding.
THE EMERGENCY ALERT AND ONE HELICOPTER TO SHOW THE MAYOR THE BIRDS EYE VIEW OF THE SITUATION WAS APPROPRIATE AND MINIMAL. THE COMPLAINTS ARE SIMILAR TO BLACK HELICOPTERS COMPLAINED ABOUT BY THE CONSPIRACY PROPONENTS. 
The constitutional right to assemble is clearly protected by law. Exceptions to this curfew allowed people to access private businesses and drive on public streets. Ultimately, the curfew suppressed free speech. The murder of George Floyd at the hands of police sparked protests across the country focusing attention on a broken policing system that disproportionately kills people of color without consequence. Mayor Mendenhall and her administration need to listen and act upon the valid demands of Black and Brown voices across the country, instead of signaling that we need to earn back our right to raise these concerns in public spaces.
THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND POLICE HAVE CONSISTENTLY LISTENED TO EVERY COMPLAINT AND TRIED TO RESPECTFULLY ANSWER THEM. SALT LAKE CITY IS NOT MINNEAPOLIS.
It is not enough for us to claim commitment to progress or sign pledges to action. Acknowledge that the recent curfew directly hindered the work that needs to be done. Listen to the voices of Black and Brown people. Don’t shut down our voices. Here are real steps to progress from Black Lives Matter Utah as conveyed by civil rights leader Lex Scott:
NO VOICES WERE SHUT DOWN AND THE CURFEW DID NOT HINDER THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
We want the Mayor to stop making statements like "I would not say that there is a problem of racism in the Salt Lake City Police Department," and realize that every person is capable of committing racially insensitive acts.
IMPLYING THAT EVERYONE IS A RACIST WOULD TEND TO DENY ANYONE AUTHORITY TO CLAIM RACISM.
We want the Mayor and her senior staff to attend a racial sensitivity training and implicit bias training immediately.
THE MAYOR'S EDUCATION AND DEGREE ARE PROBABLY MORE TRAINING ON RACIAL SENSITIVITY THAN ANYONE WRITING THIS.
We want the mayor to stop sending militarized police and the Utah National Guard to criminalize protesters and instead focus on police de-escalation.
THE SLCPD IS NOT MILITARIZED AND THE CITY ASKED FOR HELP THAT RESULTED IN THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER MAYORS SENDING IN MILITARIZED TROOPS AND POLICE. NOTE THAT THE SLCPD DOES NOT USE RUBBER BULLETS. THE POLICE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS DO USE THEM.
We want the Mayor to completely reform the Police Civilian Review Board. We want new members on the board. All members must attend an implicit bias training, police should not be allowed to sit on this board, and activists and police brutality victims should be welcome on the board. The Police Civilian Review Board should have the power to investigate and bring charges against police. Police should not be allowed to investigate themselves and find themselves innocent for police misconduct.
THE LEGISLATURE STOPPED THE ABILITY TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST THE POLICE BY REVIEW BOARDS. THE POLICE DO NOT INVESTIGATE THEMSELVES.  
We want the Mayor to work to open more polling stations and to offer transportation to the homeless to the polls on Election Day.
DURING COVID19, UTA OFFERS WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY FREE SERVICE DEPENDING ON THE DRIVER. LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET FREE FARE COUPONS. EMPHASIS IS ON MAIL IN VOTING AND POLLING STATIONS ARE DECREASING IN ORDER TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE. THE ACLU SHOULD NOT BE QUESTIONING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MAIL IN VOTING.
We want the Mayor to immediately stop criminalizing the homeless community and to offer more shelters and services for them. We want more drug and alcohol treatment centers for people experiencing homelessness and we want them now.
THE CITY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT CENTERS AND MOST HOMELESS FUNDING. THE STATE AND COUNTY IS. THE LIMITATIONS ARE DUE TO LACK OF WELL TRAINING THERAPISTS AND THEIR PAY SINCE MOST ARE MEDICAID FUNDED AND NOT WELL REIMBURSED. MANY OF US AND EVERYONE ON THE CITY AND COUNTY COUNCILS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR MEDICAID EXPANSION TO PROVIDE THIS TREATMENT FOR MANY YEARS WITHOUT ACLU SUPPORT.
We want all charges dropped against protesters.
SOME PROTESTERS COMMITTED CRIMINALLY DESTRUCTIVE ACTS AND PHYSICALLY ATTACKED POLICE. THEY DESERVE TO BE CHARGED. THE LOOTERS DESERVE TO BE CHARGED AND ACLU SHOULD NOT IMPLY THAT LOOTERS SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED.
We want the Mayor to order the Utah National Guard out of our streets.
THE MAYOR DOES NOT ORDER THE NATIONAL GUARD. THIS CLUELESS DEMAND SHOULD GO TO THE GOVERNOR WHERE IT CAN BE EFFECTIVELY AND APPROPRIATELY DISMISSED.
We want the Mayor to demand that the police not come out in riot gear, it incites the crowd.
THE RIOT GEAR WAS GENERATED BY LOOTING AND` RIOTING. THE PROTESTERS, IF PEACEFUL WOULDN'T HAVE GENERATED POLICE IN RIOT GEAR.
We want all officers who are accused of excessive force to be taken off of patrol immediately and fired.
ANY COMPLAINTS OF EXCESSIVE FORCE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND APPROPRIATELY HANDLED BY THE POLICE. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED AND IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THOSE WHO DID, AND THERE WERE SOME, USE EXCESSIVE FORCE.
We want a new policy that states that police cannot deploy rubber bullets on protesters for exercising their right to assemble and their right to freedom of speech.
AGAIN, OTHER AGENCIES USE RUBBER BULLETS.  SLCPD DOES NOT.
We want an end to curfews and for curfews not to be enacted to silence protesters and people of color.
CURFEWS DO NOT SILENCE PROTESTERS. THEY ARE USED TO CALM SITUATIONS THAT COULD TURN VIOLENT AND HARM INNOCENT CITIZENS.
We want the Mayor to read the Constitution of the United States of America.
THIS IS A MICKIE MOUSE LAUGHABLY DUMB DEMAND. HOW WILL THIS HELP DISCUSSION?
We want the Mayor to understand that she works for us. She was put into place by the people and she needs to begin working for the people and working for police reform.
SHE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE BEFORE SHE WAS MAYOR. ACLU IS MAKING A CLUELESS CLAIM.
We would like the Mayor to issue an apology to the protesters for infringing upon their constitutional rights to protest police brutality.
SHE APOLOGIZED TO THE FAMILY OF A MAN SHOT BY POLICE WHO REFUSED TO DROP HIS GUN (AFTER ROBBING SOMEONE). THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH.
Any questions about this letter can be directed to the leaders of Black Lives Matter Utah.
Signed,
The ACLU of Utah
Black Lives Matter Utah
For questions on mobilizing around these issues, contact:
Lex Scott - message4lex@gmail.com
Nikila Venugopal - nvenugopal@acluutah.org

UDOT AND SLC TEST AUTOMATIC PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNALS
  UDOT minimizes air pollution with traffic controls for vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and buses.
  Recently, UDOT worked with Salt Lake City Transportation to place 36 UDOT signals between 400 W and 900 E and North Temple to 600 S to automatic pedestrian walk lights so that pedestrians (and bicyclists) don't have to push the button. Originally, Salt Lake City wanted to decrease the need to touch a button that may increase transmission of COVAD 19. UDOT already does automatic walk lights for special events like university athletic events. To be appropriate from a traffic engineering perspective, it should only be automatic when there is a high pedestrian demand or pedestrian signal is activated every cycle and it will be used.
  Concerns that UDOT is monitoring and intends to act on are:
  Safety could be negatively impacted due to vehicles and bicyclists and pedestrians becoming frustrated and running red lights. Disrespect for signals increases when there is minor or no side-street demand by traffic or pedestrians.
  Air quality could be negatively impacted due to many cars waiting for a red light (more stop and go traffic) that does not have any cross traffic, whether vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist crossing. Vehicle delay many substantially increase despite recent efforts by UDOT and other traffic engineering departments to decrease traffic delay (and decrease pollution).
  Signs would need to be placed and maintained and pedestrians trained to appropriately use them. It took years for pedestrians to appropriately use the walk timer signals installed in the last 20 years.
  There are several advantages to UDOT and SLC providing automatic pedestrian walk timing (without pressing the walk button). Vehicle speeds may slow, virus transmission concerns will decrease and it provides assistance to those that have difficulties pressing the button. 
  Some of the interesting efforts by UDOT to get better at managing all traffic on its roads (vehicles pedestrians, scooters, bicycles, trains, trucks and buses) includes:
  UDOT has installed radar that picks up both vehicles and bicyclists and has it installed on over 90% of approaches/intersections statewide, including some at non-UDOT intersections. They detect vehicles and bicyclists if they wait behind the stopbar (so bicyclists don't need to press a button to get a green light). 
  Efforts to use radar to detect pedestrians are complicated by false detection of pedestrians coming or going.
  At some locations, UDOT turns off the vehicle left turn signal when a pedestrian pushes the button to cross to provide additional safety when crossing. 
  UDOT is starting to provide crossing guards with a special key switch to provide extra crossing for schoolchildren (may be the first in the Country).  It has installed them at all crossing guard locations on State highways where they feel that there was a need.  
  UDOT is also developing new signal timing plans every other month (30 times more frequently than before) using artificial intelligence and machine learning.
  UDOT collaborates with local municipalities as mentioned at the start of this article. SLC requested that UDOT place 36 of their 1,274 traffic signals on pedestrian recall between the boundaries of 400 West to 900 East and from North Temple to 600 South on April 6th. On April 17th, UDOT made the changes. But, even with signs that clearly show that the button does not need to be pressed, people usually press the button. UDOT is not seeing much of a reduction in, when needed, of pushing the button to get a walk light to cross the street. UDOT uses Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM) and tracks this (every pushbutton press). 
  In March at 34 intersections, there were 910 pedestrian pushing buttons per day. At the end of April, intersections averaged 276 pushbutton presses per intersection per day. Bicycle traffic seems to be up 50% in some areas and vehicle traffic in April was down up to 50%. UDOT is seeing an increase in pedestrian and cyclist volumes in suburban areas but significant reduction in downtown cores.
  This is an interesting effort to see what works and what doesn't in traffic engineering. UDOT should be trusted to decide when to end the experiment without pressure from those with specific agendas. UDOT has to represent all modes of travel with a goal to increase transportation efficiency and decrease congestion and air pollution.
  If you are interested in the actual COVID-19 traffic volumes, they are at: https://sites.google.com/utah.gov/udotcovid-19. You'll see dashboards for both freeways and traffic signals.
  UDOT provided all of the data for this article. I have been working with traffic engineers for over 40 years and have found them to be very professional and helpful. Due to their priorities that include considering all traffic including bicyclists, pedestrians and buses, and decreasing air pollution and congestion, I trust their decisions. If you have concerns about UDOT traffic signals, call UDOT. 
  When the Sugar House community was concerned about the traffic lights backing up traffic on 1300 East, south of I80 to 27th South, UDOT explained that their priority was to not have the traffic back up onto the freeway where high speed cars could create a more serious accident. 

EMIGRATION CANYON TOWNSHIP STOPS ALL CYCLING IN THEIR CANYON
  Despite claims that they did reach out to the bicycling community to tell them that they were going to repave the Emigration Canyon Road this summer. Just as the signs went up about the construction, the bicycling community was told. It was too late to do anything about it. It appears that Emigration Township does not know how to do respectful outreach. The County, which is paying for it, says that the Township is responsible and even a potential paving of the shoulder to allow bicyclists was denied. So much for respecting bicyclists, who use the Canyon a lot.  
  The good news is that the backlash has pushed UDOT and others to consider trying to implement a Parleys Canyon bicycling trail, maybe as soon as this summer.

CITY INSISTS ON DESTROYING MORE TREES IN MILLER PARK
  The good news is that for the first time, Salt Lake City Urban Forestry will plant more trees than they cut down. The bad news is that they will be replacing big old trees with little 1-2 inch munchkin trees. Those of us who want Salt Lake to return to being a Tree City USA, are disappointed. The Mayor, when she was on the Council pushed for planting more trees but not enough to make a difference. And with all of the new effort to tear down old homes and put up higher density residences, many more old trees are lost to developers. So even with the new and improved effort to plant as many trees as we cut down, this City is not coming close to sustaining our urban tree canopy.
  Over the last few months, the City has been cutting more trees in Miller Park and applying more questionable herbicide that keeps the birds away from the Miller Bird Refuge Park! Councilman Dan Dugan asked the City to tour the Park with residents that have been complaining two weeks ago.
  The Fire Department was there and determined that the cheatgrass and debris from cutting trees is fine (cheatgrass is a dangerous fire hazard)! City personnel thought that the noises they heard were of birds. They were the squirrels that have exponentially grown in population.
  Parks goal seems to be having less canopy in Miller Park which would tend to decrease bird population due to raptor threats. Less shade increases cheatgrass which is dangerous for pets. SLC Parks should put up a sign warning that the Park is not safe for pets/dogs.
  It appears that the City, again, did not get the required permit to cut trees in the Park. The County Flood Control has to approve it. And the City's war on black locust trees is against the State's decision to bless and encourage black locusts since they have been effective at stabilizing banks around streams and they have been in the Valley since the Pioneers arrived. The City is also using a herbicide that should not be used by water. It is Tordon RTU/Picloram which does not use a non-ionic surfactant that is approved for use by water. It is toxic for over a year. It was sprayed on over 100 cut trees in Miller Park in May of this year. It may affect nearby trees for 4 years.
  This City seems determined to cut and destroy more trees than it plants. It is succeeding so far.

JUNE 4, 2020
100s CLUELESSLY COMPLAIN TO COUNCIL ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY
SLC POLICE CHIEF DISCOURAGES TICKETS AND ARRESTS
SLC MAY HAVE ILLEGALLY CONTRACTED REZONING SINGLE FAMILY 
SLC REVISITING ADU LAW THAT DECREASES AFFORDABLE HOUSING
UTA BUS DRIVERS MAY ALLOW FREE FARE
UTA WILL HAVE TO BUS TRAX RIDERS TO NEW TERMINAL
UTA FINALLY GIVES A RAISE TO DRIVERS
HOMELESS CAMPS' CLEANUPS POSTPONED
OGDEN BRT IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND DUPLICATION OF SERVICE
UTA PT OF MOUNTAIN SURVEY WASTES MONEY
CWC CANYONS PROPOSAL WASTES MONEY
SLC BUDGETS FOR TRAFFIC CALMING
7/11 TRIES OPERA MUSIC TO DECREASE HOMELESS HANGING OUT
SLC ACE FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR OTHER GOOD WORKS
STREET CLOSING DUELING OPEDS
NEW SUGAR HOUSE CIRCULATION PROJECT/MCCLELLAND PRESENTATION

100s CLUELESSLY COMPLAIN TO COUNCIL ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY
 Tuesday night, hundreds of callers waited up to 5 hours to tell the SLC City Council to decrease police funding by at least $30 million.  Many also claimed that significant budget increases for the Police were wrong and the City Police treats the LGBTQ+ community with injustice, disrespect and violence.  Some also demanded that chokeholds and knee restraints be banned; have the SLCPD have a civilian review board; and insisted that the SLC Council step up and do what is right and decrease police violence.  
  Before I go into detail, you should know that the budget increase is less than 3%, mainly due to more training to reduce potential for Police violence.  At least three members of the City Council are part of the LGBTQ community and the others support their efforts to ensure equal rights and just for all.  The City banned chokeholds and knee restraints years ago due to the efforts of the City Council (Mayor Mendenhall was part of that effort.).  The Civilian Review Board still exists but is not meeting often and the Community Advocacy Group still meets regularly with the Police and Chief to complain, address and solve any issues with the Police.  I have watched several of the meetings and, although the attendance can fluctuate from less than 10 to 40, the Chief tries to understand and address the complaints.
    It appears that several individuals that are educators have tried to organize a protest supporting LGBTQ+ Police brutality.  Almost all of the over 200 callers who made comments had comments that were repeated verbatim as if they were reading from an email (decrease Police funding $30 million, stop LGBTQ+ police brutality, there is no oversight of the police, elected leaders and the Chief of Police ignore complaints and refuse to meet with us).  My opinion is that Shelby Heam, the University of Utah Outreach Coordinator for the UofU LBGTQ+, helped organize many of these callers.  
  I think that was misguided and misdirected.  When you are protesting against police violence and the elected leaders have done more to fight police violence than all protesters put together, you are clueless.
  I have watched/attended or listened to almost all Council meetings over the last 10 years and I have found that Councilmembers and Mayors have always pushed hard to decrease police violence and increase de-escalation.  Many of the previous callers don't know the Councilmembers or this Mayor or their backgrounds and efforts in the last few years to make our City a respectful, fair and safe City for everyone.  Each of our elected City leaders has done more to reduce police violence, in my opinion, than all the rioters put together.
  I urge the City Council to continue to focus the Police budget on training, on de-escalation, other mandatory officer trainings and more specialized body cams that ensure that all community/police interactions are recorded.  And, for those really interested in this issue, I urge you to read the May 19 work session packet and watch the Council video.  I put the SLCPD budget in the downloads section on the right.  I discussed this in the May 20 blog entry.  The Police Chief emphasized auto activating body cams for every cop and even detectives and mandatory training to focus on de-escalating training.  The new funds from Funding Our Future are being used to start buying advanced body cams that activate when weapons are pulled and they activate nearby body/cop cams, including in nearby police vehicles.
  I thank the police and Chief for their regular community meetings to hear, accept and address complaints.  You don't need to march in the streets to complain to the police and Council and Mayor.  They regularly ask to meet with anyone who wants to complain.  I am sorry to see that most callers have not seen the efforts that the Councilmembers and present Mayor have committed to over the years to decrease police violence.  I have watched them grill the Chief to ensure that he and the Police understand that this City will not accept any police violence.
  Of note, I, and most Council Members, go to a lot of community council meetings and most communities want more police on patrol and a bigger police budget.  
  The Council previously has said that a large demographic of our population is intimidated by police in uniform (at last year's budget hearing).  But it is a sad commentary on our society if the first experience that a kid or citizen has with a cop is during a crime or criminal investigation.  SLCPD in regular uniform patrolling parks will help police community engagement and understanding.  The Police should wear regular uniforms on patrol.

SLC POLICE CHIEF DISCOURAGES TICKETS AND ARRESTS
  I am repeating the quote from the last blog entry since a few keep asking the SLCPD what their rules for engaging with citizens were during the Pandemic.  During the recent SLCPD report to the City Council, Chief Brown said that dispatch calls for service were up 6% but the Police are discouraging tickets, engagement and bookings. 

SLC MAY HAVE ILLEGALLY CONTRACTED REZONING SINGLE FAMILY 
  A Utah law that makes it illegal to rezone property without a legal notification may have been violated by the SLC RDA (which is also the City Council).  The illegal term is contracted rezone.  I have asked the City Council/City Attorney to evaluate if the language included in the loan that was given to the Community Development Corporation to buy the property (assuming the rezone) is enough to make the action legal.  The SLCRDA put in the document " Pending the outcome of the rezoning request".
  SLC RDA gave almost $2 million to the Community Development Corporation for an 80 unit complex on single family zoned property.  They obviously assumed that the City Council, which is the RDA Board, will grant the rezone.  This effectively negates public hearings which will continue to take place but is it really a public hearing if it is a done deal?  The property is not worth $2 million unless it is rezoned!!
  As mentioned before in a previous blog, this project is wrong on so many levels.  But it passed the Planning Commission 4 to 3.  Commission member Amy Barry, who used to be Chair of the Sugar House Community Council agreed that traffic is too fast but allowing cars to park on Richmond would calm traffic.  The Sugar House Community Council, in general, agreed with the proposal.  I, the adjacent single family homeowners and the tenants in the low income duplexes all are against the rezone from R1-7000 to R-MU45, mixed use medium density.
  This project is a disrespectful way of providing affordable housing in Sugar House.  Despite significant efforts to use inclusionary zoning and require affordable housing in Sugar House developments (hundreds of millions of dollars in the last 10 years), only one development had a little bit of affordable housing.  Despite our present efforts to provide significant affordable housing on Highland (like Millcreek is doing), SLC is suggesting a mixed use (including restaurants, retail and offices) medium density next to single family homes (no Millcreek is NOT thinking of rezoning to higher density on the block)!  
  This project is disrespectful because it is dangerous and disrespectful to the potential low-moderate income individuals who may live there.  They deserve more than to be shoehorned into the most dangerous street in Sugar House.  The skinny sidewalk is literally inches from a high speed and, in walking to Brickyard, it is actually below the adjacent road!  There have been several serious accidents on the road (due to speed). In other words, the only pedestrian and bicycling route to Brickyard is a killer (IT IS NOT SAFE).  The proposal language is not true when it says that:  "This will allow for safe pedestrian and bicycle access to these areas."  Sidewalk widths in mixed use R-MU-45 should be 10 ft minimum and should be ABOVE THE ROAD.
  There is a plan for adding bicycle lanes which removes any on street parking.  Adding more in out on Richmond (with 80 units) will significantly and negatively decrease safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and cars.  There is a reason that there are no cars parking on Richmond now (there is one in front of the residences across the street because that developer took down the no parking sign).  Despite claims by the developer that parking is allowed on Richmond, there is a no parking sign 100 feet from the proposed entrance!  On street parking should not be allowed on Richmond Street.
   This proposal DOES NOT FOLLOW the Sugar House Master Plan policies (which state:)
"support infill.... while requiring appropriate design and location to minimize land use conflicts with existing single-family development."  This proposal also states: "this zoning map amendment proposal does not coincide with the current future land use map for this area of Sugar House".  The Sugar House Master Plan suggests 18 dwelling units per acre between Highland and Richmond AND this project is even higher density.  If you really want a buffer and gradual zoning density increase, this project should be less dense since it is adjacent on most sides (including Hudson and Elgin) with single family homes now.  Zoning should not have major transitions but be reasonable (don't put high density tall buildings next to single family homes).
  The proposal states that: "The R-MU-45 zoning district can act as a buffer between the surrounding lower density zoning and the more intense zoning of the Brickyard area"  This is not a gradual zoning change or buffer!  It is the exact opposite of a "buffer" from the island between Richmond and Highland.  This is a single family home area and a much better and respectful area for affordable homes would be to the east between Richmond and Highland Drive.  This will destroy the privacy of adjacent single family homeowners whose backyards will be visible from the 4 story buildings.  If you want to "Direct new growth toward areas with existing infrastructure and services that have the potential to be people-oriented.", SLC should focus on Highland Drive which has the 15 minute bus.  Crossing Richmond is also dangerous, despite crosswalks.
  Sidewalk widths in mixed use R-MU-45 should be 10 ft minimum and should be ABOVE THE ROAD.  There is no barrier between the road and adjacent lower than road sidewalk which is actually pushed out into the roadway and is inches from high speed traffic.  If you are building affordable housing that requires a car to safely go out, you are not building affordable housing.
  If you want to build affordable housing, Brickyard has plenty of underused/empty property that could provide a better affordable housing site.  The old DI/Fire Station is also supposed to be used for affordable housing.  And don't forget the efforts by many elected officials to spend hundreds of millions of local taxpayer money on the S-Line extension (either north or south or both) which could really help build affordable housing.
  The offer has been made and it is expected to close in the next few weeks.  After closing, if CCD sells it, another developer could build commercial including restaurants which don't belong next to single family homes (due to the traffic and smell).

SLC REVISITING ADU LAW THAT DECREASES AFFORDABLE HOUSING
  The Salt Lake City Council is expected to re-evaluate the ADU ordinance that appears to be increasing housing costs in the next few months.  Community councils are encouraged to communicate their recommendations to the Council on how to make the ADU ordinance better.  There have been several recent cases where the ADU project is on property with Airbnb complaints.  Although the State Legislature allows 30 day Airbnb rentals, many are less than 30 days and that significantly increases housing costs for everyone (property values increase with rentals).  Parking is also exacerbated with Airbnb properties.  I think that Airbnb has a negative impact on single family homes.  Although vacant homes, waiting to be sold, make sense to use Airbnb, Airbnb should have more limitations.  No ADU should be approved if a property has used or will use Airbnb.  It should be part of the Condition Use Permit.  
  In addition, several recent ADU applications have been for large areas.  Detached ADUs are limited to 650 Sq Ft with the expectation that they would be less expensive to rent.  But attached/basement ADUs can be up to 50% of the house and that can mean over a thousand square feet!  That is not affordable housing.  Again, the ADU ordinance appears to hurt affordable housing.

UTA BUS DRIVERS MAY ALLOW FREE FARE
  I am probably one of the State's biggest mass transit proponents.  But due to the Pandemic, along with covering up bus windows with ads, keeping buses 1-4 feet from the curb, useless bus stop closed signs (the stops were being serviced by buses) and, in general, making use of UTA's service becoming more and more frustrating, I have given up on UTA.
  But, to see what I was missing, I tried the bus recently.  I had to convince the driver to take my money and hand me a transfer (which she had not even put out).  So I asked, again, why not make fares free to keep driver feeling safe?  The answer is below.  Essentially, "operators do have discretion about collecting cash fares in order to ensure the safety of the rider and themselves."  UTA should not keep that secret.  This may last until they install plexiglass shields next to the driver (Which makes it difficult to help ADA!).
  "Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, UTA’s priority has been the safety of our riders and employees, and we have implemented numerous cleaning, disinfecting and social distancing protocols on the system. To be clear, we have not gone to a free fare system.  We have implemented rear door boarding on the buses, moved the yellow line back to ensure social distancing, and are visually inspecting fares and not handling fare media.  We are also in the process of installing plexiglass shields on buses to provide additional protection. Until that happens and we resume front door boarding, operators do have discretion about collecting cash fares in order to ensure the safety of the rider and themselves."
  "Regarding farebox revenue, UTA’s current daily cash collection is approximately $6,600.  When compared to February 2020 data, cash collection is down about 63%. Through April total cash was $1,661,868, but total passenger revenue was $14,257,371. The long-term effects on our revenues from fare collection and sales taxes are still uncertain at this time."  (Fares are usually about 11% of operating costs and sales taxes provide over 70% of revenue.)
  I still think that fares for buses should be free now since the tax increase from last year covers the daily cash collection.

UTA WILL HAVE TO BUS TRAX RIDERS TO NEW TERMINAL
  UTA is starting to prepare for the opening of the new Airport Terminal.  When that happens, UTA expects to have to bus riders (less than 1000 a day to the Airport eventually) until the new ground TRAX station is built next to the new terminal.  I have a better idea.  Take the old airport to downtown bus (with no stops - a 10 minute ride from downtown) which was stopped after TRAX was extended to the Airport, and see if riders might like that more than the milk run that the Green Line is becoming (with the new 650 S. TRAX station.

UTA FINALLY GIVES A RAISE TO DRIVERS
  UTA drivers were close to making the same hourly wages as some McDonalds workers (in Park City).  This increase to $23.85 and hour starting salary gives them a little more to afford to live in Salt Lake City.  There are 1600 operators, maintenance and parts employees that are represented by ATU Local 382.  Although there are minimal wage increases, the health insurance cost/contribution will all of that and more away.  Operators will start at $23.85 an hour now but will start at $25.44 by June of 2022. Mechanics will start at $30.68 an hour. Coach cleaners will start at $20.31.

HOMELESS CAMPS' CLEANUPS POSTPONED
  Salt Lake City has decided to postpone the next homeless camps health department cleanup.  Especially now, it would look like Police brutality.
OGDEN BRT IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND DUPLICATION OF SERVICE
  Although UTA and President Trump touted the recent federal funding award of $64 million for the Ogden BRT, it is a waste of money that duplicates an efficient 603 bus that takes 15 minutes to go from the downtown station to Weber State College.  It has started zig zagging over the last few years which adds 5 more minutes to the trip.  The BRT will take 15 minutes but if the 603 stopped zig zagging like a milk run, it could do better as the BRT and save $64 million!  President Trump tweeted that "very important bus service from WSU to McKay Dee".  It is not very important.  It is a waste of money.

UTA PT OF MOUNTAIN SURVEY WASTES MONEY
  This project is still too costly and ill timed.  The subsidy per rider may end up being $100!  
  There is no destination at present that is required for a successful and financially responsible rail or BRT.
  There is no density at present that is required for a successful and financially responsible rail or BRT.
   There is not enough ridership on 871 nor FrontRunner between Draper and Lehi that would justify spending billions on the push (that has been happening for over 10 years) to build rail from Draper to Lehi.
  The idea that rail or BRT or streetcar will help development is wrong and only Brazil and South Korea have been able to operate a successful BRT.
  A well maintained and clean window bus can provide as much service at a much more reasonable cost that these billion dollar projects.
  The LA Study of the tens of billions spent on transit projects (from a year ago) that led to almost no extra ridership in 20 years should be a warning.
  UTA is subsidizing riders via VIA at $20 per rider which predicts, in my mind, UTA accepting as reasonable, a $100 per rider subsidy.
  Before spending billions, mass transit use has to be proven with buses.  If there is enough ridership to provide an enhanced bus or BRT or rail, that should be the only justification for spending billions.
  The ridership on transit will be set back a decade due to the COVAD situation and roads should be the priority.
  And finally, according to the SLC Planning Department, the super gentrification and development in Sugar House was not due to the streetcar.  It was due to the largest concentration of open space and parks in the City (and County).  Sugar House Park, 3 golf courses, a linear park and Fairmont Park all encourage development more than the S-Line (which continues to have just over a thousand riders a day - 1300 - despite promises that it would have 5000 a day).
  Focus on buses first and if they show ridership, then consider more expensive options.  Otherwise UTA will end up with subsidizing riders with $10 per trip
  UTA taking money out of bus service for lower income or those wanting to help the environment is wrong, especially if the money is used for a questionable project that benefits rich developers
 
CWC CANYONS PROPOSAL WASTES MONEY
  There is obviously not much public engagement on this Plan's Survey since only 3,174 responded to the Survey and there were only 6,000 website hits.  (always read the stats to see if the survey is really making sense)
  There is no plan to "Respect approved private property uses and promote their stewardship of the environment."
  "Create canyon transit routes to key destinations with ADA-compliant transit stops that include restroom facilities, and bus pullouts for user comfort and aesthetics." I support but emphasis should be on buses until enough public use of tranist (especially now with the COVAD scare) is consistent.  Until then, more parking and snow sheds should be the priority.  And what happened to our weekend bus proposals to start transit use during the off ski season?
  Buses should have bigger windows and no advertising on them to encourage tourist use.  Even windows to the roof.  
  Crosswalks should not increase idling and pollution.  If 100 people are walking across the street in a crosswalk, traffic backup will create more pollution.
  I like the Parleys "Create an o?-highway multi-use bicycle pathway (uphill and downhill) connecting the Mountain Dell golf course and Summit County."
  Parking structure development should not utilize only taxpayer money but be an incentive of less than 30% match since developers should not benefit from taxpayer money. (SB108 defeated this year.)
  No tolling in the Canyons.  That would discourage lower income families from their Utah Constitutional right
    SLCO Transportation Funds should be used NOW for weekend bus service at 15 minute intervals to see the acceptance and ridership.  

SLC BUDGETS FOR TRAFFIC CALMING
  The new SLC Community and Neighborhood budget (CAN) has funding for traffic calming.  Time for community councils to forward suggestions

7/11 TRIES OPERA MUSIC TO DECREASE HOMELESS HANGING OUT
  7/11 is trying opera music to discourage the homeless from hanging out at the 7/11 at 1300 South and Main.  It may be the final straw for the homeless, or those who embed themselves in the homeless population, who also seem to be dealing drugs.

SLC ACE FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR OTHER GOOD WORKS
  Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic, Salt Lake City has become more flexible on use of the ACE funding that was distributed to community councils over the last few months.  The City now says that they can be used for "good works".  Contact your community council or Mayor's liaison for more information.

STREET CLOSING DUELING OPEDS
  Taylor Anderson, a former Tribune reporter, had an oped in the Trib countering my oped that suggested more community engagement before closing streets to through traffic.  He said that many more supported the concept in the survey than I said.  So I went back over the survey summary (in the downloads at right), and found, again that 6215 responded to the survey that was open for 7 days (the bicycle community organized responding to it).  There were 3,794 comments.  Although 66% of comments were neutral (important) or supportive of the proposal, 1881 comments had concerns (on page 2 of 5).  Taylor and I disagreed on the definitions of this number.  The 1881 had concerns but generally supported or generally opposed.
  I still think that community councils should have had more input in this issue before implementation of "closing a street" to through traffic.  My opinion piece is at: 
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2020/05/25/george-chapman-decision/
  Again, at the recent Sugar House Community Council meeting, there still was a lot of animosity directed at the City for the Stratford Avenue closing.  Councilwoman Amy Fowler indicated that the Transportation Department would look at the streets and consider them for permanent closing soon.  Community councils need to get involved now.
  My comments on the survey was:  All streets suggested have major issues and residents, especially older and/or ADA need access by car.  May I suggest some shared streets by making road one way (if there is enough parking on vehicle side) and use other side for pedestrians scooters and bicycles
Not sure how safe it is for older and maybe easily distracted drivers having to navigate atound kids on bikes
I urge the City to not convert 900 South to a local traffic only street due to the business development efforts and 45 degree parking (unsafe for bicyclists).  Although one lane in each direction could be closed to car traffic (keeping parking), 800 South would be a better shared use street where one lane in each direction can be efficiently and respectfully closed to vehicle traffic while keeping parking.  800 South is less used as a through street but its large width is wasted.  Portable planters were proposed years ago to separate traffic from pedestrians and bicyclists on 800 East, and although the Parleys Trail planters are looking pretty bad, maybe that might be a better plan to encourage bicycling and better use of super wide streets.  It shouldn't be just during the COVID virus emergency.

NEW SUGAR HOUSE CIRCULATION PROJECT/MCCLELLAND PRESENTATION
I put the new Sugar House Circulation Project in process now along with the McClelland presentations (attached together) in the downloads to the right.  I discussed these in previous blog entries.

MAY 20, 2020
SLC THROWS OUT PARKING REQUIREMENTS NEXT TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
SLCPD WORKING ON 250 OLD RAPE KIT COLD CASES WITH ONE DETECTIVE
SLC SURPRISE CLOSING OF STREETS ANGERS RESIDENTS AND HURTS BUSINESSES
SLCPD HAS 62% INCREASE IN HOMELESS CALLS
STILL NO FUNDING FOR PARK RANGERS AND MOBILE COP CAMS
SLC APPROVES LOAN THAT EFFECTIVELY REZONES PROPERTY WITHOUT HEARING

 SLC THROWS OUT PARKING REQUIREMENTS NEXT TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
  Over the last few months, there have been a lot of complaints about a proposed project by Peter Corroon, the former County Mayor, called Cleveland Court.  Despite significant neighborhood anger against the proposal, the local community council hearing on the project was not attended by the neighbors (they were not told about the meeting on the project).  So the Planning Commission and City Council was told that the local community council approved of the plan.  That is how important these community council meetings are.  I tried to explain during the presentation that the proposal to rezone the property to FB-UN1 would remove all parking requirements.  FB-UN1 is supposed to be a zone next to a fixed transit station.  Cleveland Court (1400 S and 400 East is a mile away!  The property was a single family home and it will be developed into 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and a studio.  The developer says that it will be affordable for middle income.  But there will only b 7 off street parking spaces when the regular multi-family zone would require 13 spaces. 
  Councilman Darin Mano said that this was a difficult decision but he voted to rezone the property to no minimum parking requirements.  Councilmembers Amy Fowler, Chris Wharton and Dan Dugan voted against the rezone.  The rest of the Council voted for it and it passed 4 to 3. 
  This is a big deal since it is the first time a developer has been able to convince the City to remove all parking requirements for a building that is next to single family homes.  I expect many other developers to ask for similar consideration and approve their minimal or no parking onsite projects.  I urge everyone interested to email the Council and Mayor at council.comments@slcgov.com, mayor@slcgov.com and tell them what you think.  And please attend your local community council.  I put the 2020 list of councils and contacts and their meeting information in a download button in the top right.  These community councils are extremely important and influential.  Some rubber stamp proposed projects without even discussing them.  If you want your City to work better you need to spend a little time at these meetings.  Just 2 hours a month and they are now online!

 SLCPD WORKING ON 250 OLD RAPE KIT COLD CASES WITH ONE DETECTIVE
  I put the May 19 SLCPD report to the City Council in the right on a download button.  Some important issues discussed included the number of rape kits being processed.  In 2018, there were 218 processed and in 2019, there were 225 processed.  Some kits are taken but not processed until the victim agrees to the processing of the kit.  The rape kit is stored until then.  In Utah, the victim has the choice to restrict the kit from processing until they agree to do so.  But that stops the potential to identify serial rapists.  At Utah State, in the last ten years, there were two separate rapists that had committed many rapes and the only way that they were identified was when at least one victim came forward.  But if all rape kits are processed, and entered into a database, if a pattern is noticed, the rapist can be identified quickly. 
  Many experts think that most rapists commit many rapes and are not stopped until they are caught.  In addition, many women are charged for the rape kit that is collected at a hospital.  Usually insurance covers it but there is also a fund to pay for it.  But that should be automatic.  Women who are raped should never get a bill for a rape kit.  The State should cover the cost automatically (Utah does not).  Despite the obvious need for more victim advocates, it appears that there is a hiring freeze and more won’t be hired for a while.  In 2019, 149 victims declined to prosecute!  They shouldn’t have to decide.  If there is a pattern of abuse, and all rape kits are processed and entered into a database, the rapists can be identified.  If a rape victim does not want to participate in the prosecution, that is her choice.  But the rape kit should be processed.
  Women have to run a gauntlet to report and help prosecute rape.  They shouldn’t have to.  The military has recognized that even reporting a rape can result in repercussions against the victim.  The military can offer to restrict the report and only additional reports, or the victim agreeing to prosecute, will result in full prosecution (although the rapist can still be held accountable).
  Chief Brown, in his presentation, also noted that there were 752 cold case partially tested rape kits, some going back to the 80s, that just made it to through the initial test and they are going to new DNA testing.  768 kits were never sent to the crime lab.  So far, the SLCPD has tested 250 of the old kits for DNA and there is one additional detective added to work on these old cases (which probably include murderers)!  The SLCPD should add more detectives to this work.  It should be a higher priority.
  Chief Brown also mentioned that domestic violence calls were up 13% since the COVAD 19 restrictions.  He also said that there were 600 registered sex offenders in Salt Lake City.

SLC SURPRISE CLOSING OF STREETS ANGERS RESIDENTS AND HURTS BUSINESSES
  During this week’s City Council meeting, Councilwoman Amy Fowler expressed concern about a large number of angry emails that she has received that complained about “closing” of Stratford Avenue (around 27th South) from 1300 East to about 2000 East with no notice.  The community and Sugar House Community Council was told the night before that the street was going to be repurposed to a Stay Safe, Stay Active multipurpose street that allows and encourages pedestrians and bicyclists in the street.  It encourages local traffic only.  Councilwoman Fowler said "Quite a lot of the neighbors (were) incredibly upset and thought that they were blindsided….they didn't know it was coming”.  I have also heard from businesses on this street and others that they are concerned that just when they thought that they were going to get their customers back, the customers are being discouraged from driving back to their stores and restaurants.  Stratford, 900 South and other streets have neighborhood, locally owned small businesses.
  The City says that it was intended to be a benefit to everyone in the neighborhood and that they were surprised at the backlash since the other areas seemed to be more accepting.  The Stratford Avenue repurposing was the only street with significant pushback.  Many community councils in the other areas ignored the new street purposes because the City Transportation Department did not reach out to ask what they thought.  The Department utilized a one week long survey (easy to stack one way or the other) with over 6000 responses.  But only 3700 commented and half of the commenters were against allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to block vehicles.  The City said that they did do public engagement but I go to a lot of community council meetings and have friends in many others and the City implemented many streets without telling the community councils.  Admittedly, it was rushed to be implemented before traffic returned to normal.  The complaints, after the new signs designating the street as shared and local traffic only, were directed at the local council chair and Councilwoman instead of at Transportation.  The survey should have received more time and news publicity since it was clear that these streets were nominated for change.  But the City’s avoiding taking the issue to community councils questions their public engagement.  I put the email and phone number to complain or comment below.
  The Transportation Director, Jonathan Larsen, said that the Administration is looking for more signage that makes it clear to residents and businesses that traffic is still allowed to the businesses.  The Administration wanted more of a fun atmosphere…something to get people out… and they did not see any angry emails. 
  From the website:
 tinyurl.com/slcsafeactivestreets
“Salt Lake City is expanding its temporary measure to adapt to changing conditions and needs due to COVID-19: opening certain streets for community recreation, such as foot and bicycle traffic, while maintaining access to local traffic. This opening of streets follows a week-long survey in which the City asked residents for feedback on which streets they would like to see used for recreation.
Opening certain streets for community recreation, such as foot and bicycle traffic, will make it easier to maintain six feet of distance from others while recreating. Vehicle access on these streets will be maintained for local traffic.
Motorists are asked to drive slowly and with extra caution. Foot and bicycle traffic are asked to be extra cautious around motorists and to respect their right to access homes and businesses by moving to the side of the road when necessary to allow them to pass.
Consider the street to be shared. All users should respect others, allowing each to use the street together.
Parking may be impacted on some streets.
Factors that helped determine which streets to open include community survey feedback, street walkability, community visions for their streets, geographic equity, ease of implementation, connections to parks and trails, hospital/emergency routes, transit routes and traffic patterns. Streets opened so far include:
500 North between Redwood Rd and 800 West
900 South between 300 East and 700 East
600 East Between South Temple St and 900 South
Wasatch Dr between Crestview Dr and 1300 South
Stratford Ave between 1300 East and 2000 East
4th Avenue between A Street and N Street
200 West between North Temple and 600 North
 
Streets that were suggested on the survey are:
Q Street
Westminster Ave
Garfield Ave
500 North
N Street
1200 West
Emery Street
800 West
200 West
Wasatch Dr
Stratford Ave
1900 East
1500 East
11th Ave
900 South
4th Ave
700 South
Kensington Ave
800 East
600 East
  Before converting anymore streets to a STAY SAFE, STAY ACTIVE Street (open to walking and bicycling), the City should adopt some basic rules before further implementation.
1. Get local/community councils’ input, discussion and recommendations on which streets are appropriate (Ironically part of a recently adopted policy to encourage more public engagement.).
2. Do not discourage local business with local traffic only signs (streets with many local businesses should not be considered).
3. Do not increase congestion or pollution by forcing traffic and walkers and bicyclist to be in one lane (forced by medians 600 E/800 E).
4. Monitor the street and remove it from this purpose if there are too many concerns and problems or businesses are impacted.
  If you have comments or complaints or would like to report issues on any of the open streets, please email communityoutreach@slcgov.com or call our comment line at 801-535-7711. 

SLCPD HAS 62% INCREASE IN HOMELESS CALLS
  During the recent SLCPD report to the City Council, Chief Brown said that dispatch calls for service were up 6% but the police are discouraging tickets, engaging individuals to question them and bookings.  Homeless calls were up 62% but there is little that they can do now other than see if they need help.
  Community and Neighborhoods Department (CAN) also said that they are proposing a budget to pay for one half of the cost of biocleanup on private property.  They have received 26 requests so far this year but until the budget is passed, they cannot help.  They also need more help funding for camp cleanups with the homeless and County Health.  Public Services budget, discussed next week, also has funding for the homeless.

STILL NO FUNDING FOR PARK RANGERS AND MOBILE COP CAMS
  SLC still has not budgeted or asked for grants for more of the very effective (in the words of Chief Brown) 24/7 mobile cop cam trailers which cost $40,000.  The State Halfway House funding (which gave extra money to communities with most halfway houses) was used in the past to buy the trailers but the State budget is now up in the air and the City is not sure that they will get more funding.  Both Councilman Rogers and Mano pushed for more funding for the trailers.  Many community councils are begging for them.  The Chief said that he understands and that they work well at reducing crime.
  The SLCPD reorganized in January to increase patrol officers and as of May 19, the City has 5 unfilled sworn officer positions.  But the City loses 2 or more each month to retirement or recruitment by other County law enforcement and it will be down almost 30 by the end of the year.
Communities impacted by violence and drug dealing are begging for more visible police officers.
  The City is still not funding Police/ Park Rangers other than with overtime.  Staffing will not be available until August at the earliest.  A Sergeant has been assigned and is drafting the rules, procedures and recommendations to implement the SLCPD's proposal.  If any community has recommendations, let your local CIU (Community Intelligence Unit Officer) know (Google SLC.gov and CIU).  The Chief said that they are asking communities for suggestions and recommendations for the patrol.
  There was also a discussion about police vehicles.  The SLCPD has 32 Chevy Impala patrol cars that are over 10 years old (and worth about $2500).  They have an average of 97,000 miles on their engines but the engines and transmissions need replacement.  Although the mileage is low, the constant idling exhibited during patrol increases wear and tear by 2.5 times than normal.  A new vehicle costs $30,000 plus $10,000 to make ready.  The City just bought 106 hybrid vehicles that the Chief said are working great.
  The City is buying new bodycams that activate when vehicle lights are engaged or a weapon is drawn.  In addition, the City is considering a new app from Axon, the cop cam leader, that allows regular phones to be used as a body cam.  The goal is to ensure that every officer in the field has access to and is using a body cam.

SLC APPROVES LOAN THAT EFFECTIVELY REZONES PROPERTY WITHOUT HEARING
  The SLC RDA Board, earlier this month, approved a loan modification that allowed a project developer to borrow money before a property is rezoned for development!  That essentially means that the project rezone (to be done by the same Council/RDA Board members) is a done deal.  The project is Richmond Flats on Richmond (1220E) just north of Elgin.  The area is surrounded by single family homes but they will now not have a respectful chance to comment or object to the project. 
  The RDA Board should adopt a policy of NOT allowing loans to projects (like Richmond Flats) that imply a "done deal".  Millcreek and Sugar House have not been allowed a respectful public engagement on this development and any further similar decisions should be allowed appropriate public engagement. Again, the RDA Board, as the City Council, recently adopted a policy of: " increasing awareness/participation for City projects".  The RDA loan modification approval ignores that policy.


May 7, 2020
COMMUNITY COUNCILS NON ATTENDANCE COMPLAINTS
AGAINST SECRET MEETINGS AND DECISIONS
UTAH PUBLIC NOTICE WEBSITE INOPERABLE FOR 2 WEEKS WITHOUT NOTICE
UTA CELEBRATES TRAX MILK RUN
UTA TO KILL BUSES FOR MONEY
UTA REFUSES FREE FARE BUT HOW DO WE PAY
AIRBNB ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR ADU ADDITIONS
UTAH COULD GET MORE RADIACTIVE WASTE FROM ESTONIA
1100 EAST TRACES' TREES MURDERED
SLC DISCUSSING ALLOWING LIMITED CAMPING IN PARKS 
SLC FOOTHILL FIRE MITIGATION PERMITS NEED BETTER CALL2HAUL RULES
STRATFORD AVE EAST OF 1300E TO BE LOCAL SLOW TRAFFIC STREET
SLC LIBRARY PLANS TO REOPEN
SUGAR HOUSE WILL BE PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION ZONE FOR 5 YEARS