Salt Lake City (Utah). Division of Planning and Zoning City plan, 2015.

Planning activities for Salt Lake City began in 1919 with a report to the Planning Commission entitled "Preliminary Report of City Planning for Salt Lake City, Utah." The city recognized with this report the need for zoning and separation of land uses. In 1927, the first comprehensive zoning ordinance was passed and therein served also as an effective General Plan until 1943. ("First Phase - The City Plan, 1919-1943", Master Plan Status Report, 1982, p. 4-5) Long under discussion and spurred by the events of World War II, Salt Lake City completed a new City Plan in 1943. "This report represents a 'sketch' plan for the future City, rather than a working plan complete in all details...The plan endeavors to 'point out the way' and to serve as a guide toward the solution of some of the important problems that Salt Lake City faces and must solve if the City continues to grow" (City Plan, Salt Lake City Utah, 1943, p. 2)

The plans serve as a guide for decision-making on rezoning and otherplanning proposals and as the goals and policies of municipalities attempting to guide land use in local jurisdictions. The plans include "planning commission's recommendations for the development of the territory covered by the plan, and may include, among other things: (a) a land use element; (b) a transportation and circulation element; (c) an environmental element; (d) a public service and facilities element; (e) a rehabilitation, redevelopment, and conservation element; (f) an economic element; (g) recommendations for implementing the plan, including the use of zoning ordinances, subdivision ordinances, capital improvement plans, and other appropriate actions; and any other elements that the municipality considers appropriate" (UCA 10-9-302(2) (1997)).

Master city plans are now completed on the neighborhood level, currently including Lakeside, Airport, Southwest Industrial, Northwest, West Salt Lake, Capitol Hill, Central City, Avenues, East Bench and Sugar House. Updated planscan be found on Salt Lake City's web site online.