Salt Lake City, UT Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- D-1 Central Business District
- Min. building height
- 100 feet, no maximum
- Design review trigger
- Required over 100 feet
- Governing chapter
- SLC Code Ch. 21A.59
- 200'+ towers
- Need 1 of 5 public benefits
Summary
Salt Lake City's D-1 Central Business District ties downtown building form to urban-design goals, requiring Chapter 21A.59 design review for most buildings over 100 feet.
The purpose of the D-1 Central Business District is to provide for commercial and economic development within Salt Lake City's most urban and intense areas... Development is intended to be very intense with high lot coverage and large buildings that are placed close together while being oriented toward the pedestrian with a strong emphasis on a safe and attractive streetscape and preserving the urban nature of the downtown area. The standards are intended to achieve established objectives for urban design, pedestrian amenities and land use control.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The D-1 zone sets a 100-foot minimum building height with no maximum, but any building over 100 feet must go through design review under Chapter 21A.59 and meet stepback rules that keep snow and ice off sidewalks. Towers over 200 feet need at least one public-benefit feature: an oversized midblock walkway, affordable housing, 100% active ground-floor retail, a historic preservation covenant, or publicly accessible open space. Main Street's retail core adds first-floor retail and driveway restrictions.
Violations & Fines
Building without required design review approval, or exceeding height thresholds without meeting one of the five public-benefit options, blocks issuance of a building permit; the planning director or planning commission can deny or condition the design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does downtown Salt Lake City require design review for tall buildings?
What lets a downtown tower exceed 200 feet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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How other cities in Salt Lake County handle downtown design guide.