Planning Skakeup In Salt Lake City

Responding to pressure from neighborhood residents and a poor grade from a government audit, the city's planning department will be reorganized to ensure proper procedures are followed.

1 minute read

October 7, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"The Salt Lake City Planning Department, shaken by claims of favoritism and failing to follow permit procedures, will be reorganized, according to Community Development Director Louis Zunguze.

The department will remain open for business, Zunguze said Wednesday, but over the next 90 days, managers will begin to develop clear planning standards and ensure that developers and residents who come for services know what they need to do and what the department itself is required to do.

The shake-up comes during a time when residents' frustration over Planning Department behavior has reached a crisis point.

Continuing frustrations include monster homes and garages, as well as a lack of consistency on policing new projects.

Residents also have claimed - to no avail - that the department has approved changes to historical neighborhoods without due process.

A city-commissioned performance audit and widespread discontent among members of community councils spurred Zunguze's move."

Friday, October 5, 2007 in The Salt Lake Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square