Utah Heritage Foundation

SB 243 Substitute – Historic Areas or Sites Amendments

If you’ve been keeping up with our advocacy alerts, you may already realize that Senate Bill 243 has morphed several times during the session, leading preservationists across the state from one confusing proposal to another.  Each time it changed though, similar questions arose time and time again:  Isn’t this only about Yalecrest?  Does the bill only affect Yalecrest?  Can you get it only to affect Yalecrest?

At the end of the day, the bill was narrowed such that it directly affected the Yalecrest Neighborhood during a one-year moratorium period.  From the wide ranging scope that SB 243 started with, the result that was arrived at by sponsor Sen. Niederhauser (R-Sandy) is likely the least impactful possible.

However, it is important to recognize that there are also indirect effects from the bill.  It was stated by several participants during testimony for SB 243 that the moratorium period will be used to review the state statute for designating local historic districts.  The Land Use Task Force, a consortium of planners, attorneys, developers, realtors, legislators, and property rights advocates working under the Utah League of Cities and Towns, will be the vehicle for the review and will make recommendations to the State Legislature for the 2012 session if they believe changes are needed.  We hope that UHF will be invited to have a seat at these discussions due to their impact on the statewide constituency of preservation.

During the floor debate, Rep. Herrod (R-Provo) stated to his colleagues that “As a teacher in the former Soviet Union I met this amazing nineteen year old student who grew up in Communism.  I asked her what she would consider freedom to be.  And she said ‘until I have the right to own and control my own home and own and control my own business I would not be free.’”

How far has local historic preservation turned away from where we began?  Only time will tell.

Text of Bill

Webpage for Bill

Status:  Passed Legislature; Waiting to be signed by Gov. Herbert

What you can do:  Send your letter to Gov. Herbert to ask for his veto. UPDATE--The Governor signed SB 243 into law on March 23.

Media Coverage

Ban on Yalecrest historic district advances – Salt Lake Tribune, March 2, 2011

Politics Up Close: Legislature Intervenes in Yalecrest Preservation – KCPW (interviews), February 25, 2011

Residents split on designating SLC neighborhood a historic area - Fox13now.com, February 15, 2011

Bill would ice Yalecrest historic district for one year – Salt Lake Tribune, February 14, 2011

HJR 34 – Joint Resolution Authorizing Lease of Rio Grande Depot

All over the nation, farmers’ markets and public markets have served a role to revitalize neighborhoods, towns, and cities by utilizing historic spaces and buildings.  Kirk has been a past chair of the Downtown Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee and a member of the Public Market Committee, so it’s only natural that UHF track and lend support to a bill that supports the possibility that the Rio Grande Depot be among the candidates that could house a year-round public market in Utah.  Currently, the Downtown Alliance is raising funds to conduct a feasibility study to analyze if and how the Rio Grande could best serve the needs of a public market in the future.  This bill allows the state to enter into a lease with an entity outside state government, but would allow entities of state government and other lessors (such as the Rio Grande Café) to remain in place with the market in operation.

Text of Bill

Webpage for Bill

Status:  Passed Legislature; Waiting to be signed by Gov. Herbert

Media Coverage

Momentum builds for public market at Rio Grande – Salt Lake Tribune, March 8, 2011

Funding for State Parks

From the beginning of the Legislative session, the Division of State Parks rode a wave of uneasiness due to an audit produced during the interim session that stated several parks were not self-sufficient.  While the audit took a measured, business planning approach to every state park, it did not weigh the different purpose of each group of parks, where many are for recreation, some are golf courses or designated for scenic purposes, and some are designated as State Parks for heritage purposes.  The approach for managing and operating a heritage park is obviously going to be different than a golf course.  Unfortunately, the State Legislature is looking to get the same amount of revenue out of each site no matter what the purpose.  This is challenging given the heritage parks’ locations and purposes but can also bring new opportunities.  However, the State Legislature cannot continue to cut State Parks budget as they have in 2011 by $3 million, which will reduce hours and services at many sites.

UHF believes these are important places in the state stewardship system and looks forward to being part of the discussion.

UHF Advocacy letter, March 9, 2011

Media Coverage

Future of five Utah State Parks in doubt – Salt Lake Tribune, February 8, 2011

State Parks face cuts – Salt Lake Tribune, January 25, 2011

Save Utah’s Parks – Salt Lake Tribune, January 21, 2011

Audit questions state park efficiency – ksl.com, January 18, 2011

Audit may mean closures, changes at state parks – Salt Lake Tribune, January 18, 2011