HOUSING: How the City Manages Growing Pains
What influence does the City have on housing issues?
It is well known that there is a state-wide need for affordable housing options, and South Jordan is no exception. State lawmakers are often passing laws to limit how much municipal governments can do to determine what types of housing goes where. Our planners, however, work within those limitations to create the best situation for South Jordan and its residents.
One example of how the City has done this is the creation of the land use category called “Stable Neighborhood.” This land use is assigned to existing residential neighborhoods that are generally built. If someone comes to the City looking to rezone property within the Stable Neighborhood land use, the City looks at the surrounding zones and asks “Does this match what is around it?” They look at the character, lot sizes, and many other factors that make a neighborhood unique. This helps guide builders before they come to Planning Commission with development proposals.
The City also plans for the majority of residential growth to be along major roadway and transportation corridors, which means this growth is very visible to those commuting through South Jordan. This is a key tool used by city planners because it adds growth where there is already infrastructure to handle it.
South Jordan has also used innovative partnerships to increase the number of affordable housing options in the city. One example is the City’s workforce housing project in 2021, when the City partnered with a developer to provide deedrestricted workforce housing for teachers, first responders, and City
employees. This unique solution was achieved through infrastructure cost sharing and creative zoning requirements and solutions.
Another example is the Housing Transit Reinvestment Zone (HTRZ) for the new urban center in the Daybreak development that will be anchored by the Salt Lake Bees Ballpark. The HTRZ committee, which approved the plan, included representatives from the State Legislature, the Utah Department of Transportation, the Governor’s Office for Economic Opportunity, the State Treasurer’s Office, Salt Lake County, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, and Jordan School District. With the help of HTRZ funding, the City of South Jordan and the developer are better able to address the housing shortage in Utah.
This zone will create affordable housing, encourage the use of public transit, and generate needed economic development and employment opportunities in the southwest portion of the valley. The City believes this is the best opportunity to create affordable housing in the fastest-growing quadrant of Salt Lake County.
South Jordan is continually looking to the future and building additional partnerships to help with our city’s housing needs. As the State grows, the City has a plan for the growth that impacts South Jordan. Whether that’s collaborating on infrastructure, public transit, and housing projects, or by using zoning to preserve existing residential neighborhoods.
NATIONAL BIKE MONTH
May is national bike month. Here are a few tips for driving safely around cyclists:
• Share the road—keep at least 3 feet of space between you and the bike when passing.
• Always check your blind spots for cyclists before turning.
• Look both ways before crossing a bike lane.
• Don’t park in the bike lane.
Traffic Tip
MAY 2024
JUNE
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City Event Calendar
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
6:30 PM
City Hall at 1600 W. Towne Center Dr. & Online sjc.utah.gov/city-council
ART ON THE TOWNE
10:00 AM–3 PM Towne Center Drive
sjc.utah.gov/660/art-on-the-towne 1 1 28-
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
6:30 PM
City Hall at 1600 W. Towne Center Dr. & Online sjc.utah.gov/city-council
SOJO SUMMERFEST
Tuesday–Saturday
South Jordan City Park, 11000 S. Redwood Rd. SJCSummerfest.com
JUNE 2024
SOJO SUMMERFEST PARADE
9:00 AM
North City Park
SJCSummerfest.com
PARADE PREVIEW May 28 | 5:00–8:00 PM Highland Park 6050 W. Lake Ave
SOJO RACE SERIES: SOJO SUMMERFEST - 5K & KIDS RUN
7:00 AM
North City Park
sjc.utah.gov/sojoraceseries
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VISIT SJC.UTAH.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Scan for full 2024 Race Series schedule
TEACHER APPRECIATION MONTH
Do you remember your favorite teacher? Most of us have one. The one who stayed late to help you master your multiplication tables, or inspired your career as a welder, or saw potential in you that you didn’t know existed. Maybe they wrote you a letter of recommendation for college, or made sure you had a snack at school because you arrived hungry or forgot your lunch.
May is Teacher Appreciation Month, and I want to extend my deepest
gratitude to the educators in our community. I have spent an immense amount of time in our classrooms and recently had the opportunity to present an Outstanding Educator of the Year Award to one teacher at every Jordan District School in our city. I’ve also had amazing opportunities to spend time with incredible teachers at our private and charter schools. One of my favorite quotes at a recent event was given by Utah’s Teacher of the Year, who said, “Teaching is the profession ALL other professions come from.” A profound statement. This month, I encourage each of us to thank a teacher, any teacher. Maybe they’re teaching your child, maybe they
taught you, maybe the teacher is your own mom, or brother, or neighbor. Most of us know a school teacher. I have the privilege of knowing many of them and can assure you, they don’t ask for much. A simple thank you, a note of kindness, maybe a gift card to their favorite soda shop, or supplies for their classroom. Teachers in every school care about their students and work hard to teach and love them, and sometimes they get a bad rap. As with every profession, there may be incidences where someone is less dedicated, needs more experience, or makes a poor decision. However, for every negative experience, there are thousands of professional, dedicated, and amazing teachers working hard, loving their students appropriately, and making our community better. So happy Teacher Appreciation Month to ALL of the teachers in South Jordan! We appreciate you and all you do for our students and our community.
City Hall | 1600 W. Towne Center Dr. | (801) 446-HELP (4357) | www.sjc.utah.gov | info@sjc.utah.gov