Salt Lake City’s skyline will get to level up.
City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday that boosts the maximum allowable building height in Smith Entertainment Group’s proposed sports and entertainment district from 125 feet to 600 feet, or about 50 stories.
The changes mean skyscrapers near the Delta Center could surpass the city’s soon-to-be-tallest building, the 450-foot luxury Astra Tower at 89 E. 200 South, by about 150 feet.
SEG, meanwhile, continues to push for having sports district skyscrapers above a certain height reviewed at the “staff level,” allowing the buildings to bypass the planning commission review and its usual public hearing process.
The council-approved zoning ordinance for the district did not address SEG’s request for a secret review, but it did boost the typical planning commission review threshold from 75 feet to 200 feet within the sports district.
Council members are leaving open the option for approving skyscrapers behind closed doors in a yet-to-be-approved development agreement that will guide construction in the district.
“We’re hoping that there’s enough teeth — maybe too negative of a term — but enough specificity in the development agreement that we’re OK with the administrative review that SEG has asked for,” council member Darin Mano said during a work session earlier Tuesday.
He added that he was “hopeful” council members can approve the staff review process once they see the development agreement.
The ordinance the council approved Tuesday will also allow SEG to add plazas within the sports district, and creates special permissions for signs within the area.