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Salt Lake County, UT Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Max bonus
25% over base density
Basis
25% of net developable acreage
Minimum bonus
Never less than one lot
Excluded zone
Mountain Resort Zone (MRZ)
Applies in
Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone

Summary

Cluster developments in unincorporated Salt Lake County's Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone can earn a density bonus of up to 25 percent over the underlying zone's base density, calculated as 25 percent of net developable acreage, but never in the Mountain Resort Zone.

City-specific rules exist: Salt Lake City, West Jordan, and Sandy have their own density bonus law rules that differ from Salt Lake County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

A cluster density bonus of up to twenty-five percent over the base density permitted in the underlying zone may be available for cluster developments that satisfy the above standards while taking into account the bonus density.2.The allowable density bonus for a cluster development is equal to twenty-five percent of the "net developable acreage," and must be rounded to the nearest whole number, but in no case less than one.3.The density bonus for clustering allowed pursuant to subsection B.1 is not allowed in the MRZ.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).

Full Breakdown

B rewards a specific design choice in the foothills: a cluster development that groups its homes on smaller lots so the rest of the site stays preserved open space. A project that does this, and satisfies the overlay zone's standards while taking the bonus density into account, may receive up to twenty-five percent more density than the underlying zone's base density would allow. The arithmetic is spelled out in the section itself. The allowable bonus equals twenty-five percent of the 'net developable acreage,' the code's own defined measure, not the raw size of the parcel, and the result must be rounded to the nearest whole number of lots.

The rounding rule carries a floor: in no case is the bonus less than one, so even a small cluster whose calculation lands on a fraction still earns one additional lot. The bonus is conditional, not automatic. The county reviews the proposal against the FCOZ design standards, including open space preservation, mitigation of impacts on adjacent property, and architectural compatibility, and a project that falls short is simply reviewed under the underlying zone's standard density with no bonus. 1 is not available in the MRZ, the Mountain Resort Zone.

Violations & Fines

A cluster proposal that fails the FCOZ design standards, open space preservation, adjacent-property impact mitigation, and architectural compatibility, is denied the bonus and reviewed under the underlying zone's standard density.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the density bonus available everywhere in the county?
No. It applies only to cluster developments inside the mapped Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone under §19.72.050.B, and it is expressly not allowed in the Mountain Resort Zone.
How is the bonus calculated?
It equals twenty-five percent of the net developable acreage, rounded to the nearest whole number of lots, and in no case less than one additional lot.
Is the bonus guaranteed if I cluster?
No. The project must satisfy the overlay's design standards, including open space preservation, adjacent-property impact mitigation, and architectural compatibility, or it is reviewed at the underlying zone's standard density.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Salt Lake County

All Salt Lake County rules

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