Progress On the Blueprints
Four years ago, Ralph Becker presented the City with his blueprint for change. Better neighborhoods, better schools, a cleaner environment, and equality for all. View his progress on delivering the blueprints.
Human Rights Initiatives
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transform the Office of Diversity into the Office of Human Rights. | ...By acknowledging that a broader set of human rights belong to all residents of our City, Salt Lake City joins other international cities that elevate the protection of basic human rights for all residents and visitors as a fundamental municipal value. | Fulfilled | Upon taking office, Mayor Becker restructured the Mayor Office's to create the Office of Diversity and Human Rights. Yolanda Fransisco-Nez was appointed as the manager of the office. |
| Implement a comprehensive nondiscrimination municipal ordinance | ...with an enumerated list of protected classes. This ordinance would cover housing and realty, employment, public accommodation, and city activities. | Fulfilled | The Salt Lake City Council unanimously adopted the Mayor's proposed nondiscrimination ordinances on November 10, 2009. The ordinances took effect on April 2, 2010. |
| Require companies that contract with and/or sell goods and services to the City to implement a nondiscrimination policy | ...with regard to race, color, familial status, veterans status, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. | In Process | The Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission has begun to look at the City's procurement policies and is scheduled to begin conversations early next year. |
| Champion a hate-crimes ordinance | ...with regard to race, color, familial status, veterans status, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. | In Process | The Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission has begun to look at the City's procurement policies and is scheduled to begin conversations early next year. |
| Champion a hate-crimes ordinance | ...that would enhance penalties for crimes that are related to race, color, familial status, veterans status, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. | In Process | The Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission is currently hosting a series of "Dialogue on Discrimination" regarding race. Previously, the Dialogue on Discrimination series helped establish a baseline and need for the non-discrimination ordinances. |
| Develop bullying and equal access policies | ...by working with the school district to include protection for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities. | Fulfilled | On December 7, 2010, the Salt Lake City School District became the first school district to adopt a policy providing protection from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. |
| Establish a city registry for domestic partnerships | ...to streamline the process for businesses to offer benefits to domestic partners. | Fulfilled | As his first act as Mayor, Ralph Becker submitted the Mutual Commitment Registry to the Salt Lake City Council on January 10, 2008. The Salt Lake City Council adopted the proposal on February 5, 2008. |
| Require the extension of benefits equally to registered domestic partners | ...by companies that contract with the City and already provide benefits to employees’ spouses. | Incomplete | |
| Change the City’s retirement policy to allow an employee to name a domestic partner as a beneficiary. | Unable to Complete | Salt Lake City participates in the State of Utah's retirement system. As a result, the State of Utah would need to make adjustments for domestic partners. Mayor Becker and his administration will continue to have conversations about the State retirement system with state leaders. | |
| Ensure the continued vitality of the Civilian Review Board. | Fulfilled | Mayor Becker's administration has actively worked with the Civilian Review Board to ensure they have the resources and tools to accomplish their mission. Additionally, Rick Rasmussen was hired as a full-time staff member for the board. | |
| Emphasize the importance of diversity training | Ongoing |
Blueprint for Education
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create a senior-level position within the Mayor’s Office called the Education Partnership Coordinator | ...to forge partnerships with Salt Lake City schools, help determine and coordinate Salt Lake City governmental policy and action, and work with the business community, state government, and higher education to match community resources with school needs. | Fulfilled | Mayor Becker appointed Joanne Milner as Salt Lake City's education partnership coordinator on January 30, 2008. |
| Mayor’s Monthly School Summit | ...arrange monthly roundtable meetings with high school and junior high school principals to better understand how city administration and policy can support their efforts… | Intent Fulfilled | With the first meeting on November 13, 2008, Mayor Becker has hosted two or three school summits a year with superintendents, principals, teachers, educators, city officials. |
| Second Language Proficiency | ...work with the school district to ensure that ... every Salt Lake City student is ... able to pass a basic proficiency exam in a second language…. | Ongoing | Salt Lake City School District is a minority majority district. Significant parts of the student population speak English as their second language. Currently, the Salt Lake City School District and Mayor's Education Partnership Coordinator is looking for opportunities to strengthen ELS courses while providing cultural and language opportunities to all students. |
| Consensus Community Direction | ...this will include meetings between the mayor, the city council, and the school board and superintendent...principals, teachers, and parents to use creative approaches to address graduation rates, school events and calendaring, youth violence, the achievement gap, and how city programs and policies can better support our public schools. | Ongoing | In June 2009, Mayor Becker established by proclamation the Early Childhood Learning Action Team. The coalition brings together over 40 organizations, researchers, education advocates, businesses, and community leaders to address achievement gap. By pushing early literacy, the group hopes to address the achievement gap and other educational issues within the Salt Lake School District. In 2010, the coalition hosted two summits with over 1500 teachers, parents, business leaders, and public officials aimed at educating parents of the importance of early childhood literacy. |
| City Government Efforts | ...engage city departments in efforts to partner with schools to assist schools in achieving success. City employees will be rewarded for their ideas and volunteer participation in public schools…. | Ongoing | The Mayor's Education Partnership Coordinator is working to connect City employees and departments with the School District and encourage them to volunteer as part of literacy program. However, fiscal issues as a result of the economic climate have slowed progress on this program. |
| Business Partnerships | ...build partnerships with local businesses to help provide opportunities for our children to learn and excel. | Fulfilled | The Salt Lake Chamber is heavily involved in the Early Childhood Learning Action Team and various literacy programs. Additionally, Mayor Becker's administration has worked closely with the business community to sponsor scholarships, school summits, materials for parent trainings and outreach, etc. Mayor Becker also initiated the Service in the City Scholarship. The program is currently exploring ways to work with Service Learning Programs to encourage service and education advancement. |
| “Expanding Excellence in Education (E3)” | ... work with teachers and the school district to ensure that every ... student can benefit from the innumerable extracurricular learning opportunities the city provides…. | Ongoing | In the 2010 Budget, Salt Lake City provided $150,000 to the Salt Lake City School District Foundation to help provide after-school education and other opportunities for Salt Lake City students. Additionally, the Mayor's Office served as a facilitator and helped launched, "Tennis and Tutoring," a program that links after-school tennis courses with tutoring opportunities. Finally, the Mayor's Education Partnership Coordinator is actively working with the school district and other partners to develop additional after-school opportunities. |
Blueprint for a Green City
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete the Jordan River Parkway through Salt Lake City and build three east-west bike trails… | ...complete the Parleys Rails, Trails and Tunnels (PRATT) trail...fulfill the Parleys Trail Master Plan......build the City Creek Trail project...[finish] the Jordan Parkway Trail...[and] the Emigration Trail… | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Mayor Becker actively worked with Utah's federal delegation and the PRATT Board to secure funding for portions of the PRATT trail. Additionally, Salt Lake City's RDA has acquired the land and is moving forward in developing the Sugarhouse drop to extend the Parley's Trail west. This spring, the Jordan River Trail will be complete except for one section. Salt Lake is currently in negotiations with Union Pacific to create an "at grade" crossing north of 200 N to complete the trail. |
| Aggressively to fund additional TRAX lines and increased regional rail service to serve both residential neighborhoods and downtown. | support the proposed TRAX line between downtown and the airport, as well as streetcar service to Sugar House and expanded light rail or streetcar lines in the downtown area. I’ll advocate for an extension of commuter rail from downtown to Provo | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Mayor Becker worked aggressively with UTA to extend TRAX to the airport, rebuild North Temple, complete the FrontRunner to Ogden, and begin construction on the Provo line. Mayor Becker also secured $26 million in Federal Funds to build the Sugarhouse Street Car. Finally, Salt Lake City is working toward creating an additional street car line in Downtown. |
| encourage public and private schools to promote walking, cycling, and public transit to get to school. | My administration will actively assist elementary schools to assure safe school routes and to help develop Human School Buses so children can safely walk to school. | Fulfilled | Each year, Mayor Becker promotes the national "Walk to School" week. Walking to school was also heavily supported through the award winning "Clear the Air Challenge." See additional details under walkable communities. |
| I will mandate charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs). | adopt rules that require new developments of certain densities to either provide charging stations for EVs or contribute to a fund to provide them. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | On November 8, 2010, Mayor Becker unveiled plans to develop five new publically accessible vehicle charging stations within Salt Lake City. |
| I will encourage the continued and expanded use of compressed natural gas (CNG) in the city. | Fulfilled | In partnership with Questar, Salt Lake City has opened public CNG refueling stations near the University of Utah and Jordan River. Mayor Becker has also been a strong supporter and advocate of the Utah Clean Cities program. He has also expanded the City's use of CNG vehicles in Salt Lake City's fleet. | |
| Initiate a citywide tree preservation and planting program | In Process | Expanding and additional protections Salt Lake City's urban forest is being developed as part of the Comprehensive Sustainability Ordinance. | |
| Create an incentive program to replace gasoline-powered lawnmowers and power tools with electric ones | Incomplete | ||
| Establish a residential energy assessment and weatherization program | Fulfilled | Salt Lake City has worked actively with the Salt Lake Community Action Program's Weatherization Program, part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Salt Lake has used Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to provide additional funding for the program. | |
| revise Salt Lake City’s building codes to strongly encourage use of LEED (or LEED-equivalent) building standards | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Currently, any LEED certified building proposals are given front of the line processing in the City's process. Additionally, in May 2008, Mayor Becker commissioned Clarion and Associates and the Division of Sustainability and Environment to begin a complete review and assessment of existing city policies, plans, and other documents that address sustainability in 10 key topic areas. The project took place in three phases, with the final phase a group of bundled ordinance revisions and changes that promote sustainability. Phase one and two are complete. Phase three, ordinance revisions, occurs in three bundles. The first passed the Planning Commission unanimously and is before the City Council. The Planning Commission is currently reviewing the second bundle and the Department of Planning and Zoning is working on the third and final bundle of ordinance revisions. Finally, Mayor Becker is working to make all future City buildings LEED certified. | |
| Explore the possibility of a dedicated solar-powered energy supply for Salt Lake City’s electricity-powered transportation systems. | Ongoing/Intent Fulfilled | On October 20, 2009, Salt Lake City was awarded $10 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand the City's solar programs and policies. The program currently has seven key goals, including identifying and removing key financial and regulatory barriers and exploring and implementing alternative financing structures to promote solar energy development. | |
| require construction waste reclamation and recycling to the maximum extent possible. | Ongoing | Salt Lake City expanded it curbside trash collection to include organic waste bins. Additionally, in Fall 2010, Salt Lake City increased the number of glass recycling locations from three to twenty -one. | |
| reorganize the Planning, Transportation and Public Services departments so that those functions better serve residents and work to reduce the human impact on the environment. | Fulfilled | Early in his first year, Mayor Becker hired Frank Gray and Wilf Sommerkorn to head up the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Planning Division. Additionally, Mayor Becker's administration has significantly expanded the use of Accela, a program designed to connect departments and divisions and provide significant efficiencies to the planning, zoning, and building processes. Mayor Becker has also worked with community groups to train the public how to use Accella. | |
| I will elevate the position of Environmental Advisor to that of Chief Energy and Environmental Advisor. | Fulfilled | On March 11, 2008, Mayor Becker created the Division of Sustainability and appointed Vicki Bennett as the new director. | |
| I will require all departments to develop and implement new master plans that include carbon footprints | Fulfilled | Through the Division of Sustainability, all Salt Lake City Departments and Divisions must submit an energy and conservation assessment, including looking at their carbon footprint. | |
| I will begin a comprehensive open-space planning effort for Salt Lake City. | Fulfilled | In August, 2010, Salt Lake City's Division of Sustainability released a draft Open Space Lands Acquisition Strategy to help coordinate and guide land acquisitions, protection, and maintenance programs. | |
| I will develop a strong open-space acquisition program. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | In August 2010, Salt Lake City's Division of Sustainability released a draft Open Space Lands Acquisition Strategy to help coordinate and guide land acquisitions, protection, and maintenance programs. | |
| I will further protect Salt Lake City watersheds. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Through the Department of Public Utilities, Mayor Becker has been a strong advocate for protecting and preserving our watersheds. Mayor Becker was also a key player in the development of Congressman Matheson's' Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act, released on August 1, 2010. | |
| Push for an aggressive gray-water program for non-culinary water uses | Incomplete | ||
| establish areas zoned for commercial centers for every neighborhood. | In Process | Following the neighborhood business conference, Salt Lake City is working on a neighborhood business plan and ways to promote vitality throughout the City. Additionally, a major part of the Sustainability Ordinance review is directed making Salt Lake's communities more walkable, including expanding neighborhood business access to residents. | |
| place some city services and encourage non-governmental services to be located in neighborhoods. | Incomplete |
Blueprint for Neighborhoods and Gathering Places
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viable Neighborhood Commercial Centers | Develop vibrant neighborhood commercial centers...define and develop neighborhood centers…[focus] on our local businesses as the creators of wealth and unique character. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | In conjunction with Salt Lake City Department of Economic Development, Mayor Becker launched the small business initative, aimed at connecting local businesses with public and private resources that promote their growth and development. On January 28, 2010, Mayor Becker hosted Salt Lake's first Neighborhood Business Conference and on May 28, 2010, unveiled the Neighborhood Business District Matching Grant program, aimed at growing the City's neighborhood business districts. Additionally, a small business liaison position was created within the Department of Economic Development. Finally, Salt Lake City's Community Housing Plan specifically aims to develop housing in conjunction with neighborhood commercial centers. |
| Fix in Six | Update each neighborhood plan within six years. | In Process | |
| Build to Sustain | Revise our building and zoning codes to integrate sustainable design standards for all neighborhood plans, including that of downtown. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | See Sustainability initiative in Blueprint for a Green City |
| Preserve and Conserve | Incentives for the “recycling” of existing buildings through rehabilitation and adaptive reuse so that the dual goals of neighborhood preservation and energy conservation are met | In Process | See Sustainability initiative in Blueprint for a Green City |
| Salt Lake Bikeways | I will develop a network of dedicated non-motorized trails and paths—separated from auto traffic—that connect neighborhoods to each other and to open spaces throughout the city | Fulfilled | Under Mayor Becker's administration, Salt Lake City increased bikeways by nearly 50% throughout the City. Additionally, as part of Mayor Becker's first budget, Salt Lake City created the position of Bikeway and Trails Development Coordinator and appropriated an additional $500,000 for increased development of bikeways and trails in the City. |
| Panhandling | I will address the chilling effect of panhandling in our downtown by mounting an education campaign for our city residents and visitors while providing expanded services for the homeless and destitute. | Ongoing | During the fall of 2009, Mayor Becker worked with the Downtown Alliance to promote "End Panhandling Utah," and organized media strategy aimed at educating residents of the negative effects of panhandling and promoting donations to homeless shelters. Additionally, Mayor Becker's administration is working with the Salt Lake City Council and SLCPD on an ordinance to curb aggressive commercial solicitation. |
| Drug Free Parks | I will demand a zero-tolerance for crime—particularly drug use—in our city parks. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | In cooperation with SLCPD, Mayor Becker has actively engaged the community to reduce drug use and crime, particularly around Pioneer Park. In addition to police work, Salt Lake Solutions actively engaged community members, business, residents, and the Downtown Alliance to increase programming and activities designed to discourage drug activity in Pioneer Park. |
| Graffiti Gone in 36 | I will make sure that tagging and defacing crimes are aggressively pursued, and that every incidence of tagging is cleaned up within 36 hours of reporting. | Intent Fulfilled | Salt Lake City currently removes over 90% of graffiti within forty-eight hours of it being reported. |
| Downtown Living | I will make sure that residential housing offerings are expanded downtown and that there will be housing options for the full range of incomes | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Since taking office, Downtown Salt Lake has significantly expanded its downtown living options. Additionally, Salt Lake City's Community Housing Plan has developed specific action items designed to increase and improve housing in downtown. |
| Art of the City | I will encourage the further expansion of ArtSpace and promote similar models that allow artists to work and live downtown | Incomplete | |
| Broadway Theater | If There’s Only One, It Belongs Downtown: I will partner the city closely with Salt Lake County and the state to work for major cultural and government facilities downtown | Ongoing | On February 28, 2008, Mayor Becker created the Downtown Theater Action Group to study and promote establishing a Broadway Theater in Downtown Salt Lake City. The group completed its study on July 6, 2008. On October 13, 2009, Salt Lake City announced a developer for the proposed project and on December 1, 2010, Mayor Becker and Mayor Corroon signed an interlocal agreement designating a dedicated funding stream to develop arts and culture facilities downtown. Additionally, the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City has acquired the Utah Theater and is expected to release an RFP for storefront leasing opportunities in early 2011. Finally, Mayor Becker has supported the Leonardo and it is expected to open spring 2011. |
| City Nights | While remaining respectful of law enforcement’s needs, I will work with our City Council to revise ordinances restricting the location of restaurants, bars, and similar businesses to better serve residents and visitors | Fulfilled | On December 8, 2009, the Salt Lake City Council adopted Mayor Becker's proposal to lift the two-per-block face restriction on downtown bars and taverns. Additionally, Mayor Becker is working with the City Council to pass zoning changes that will allow bars in neighborhood commercial areas. |
Air Quality
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make sure City takes the lead and serves as model in comprehensively reducing the amount of pollutants that are put into the air. | Fulfilled | Salt Lake Solution's "Clear the Air Challenge," first initiated in July 2009, has been nationally recognized as a model for addressing air quality. Additionally, Mayor Becker has worked with the Salt Lake City School District to address the "Turn the Key, Be Idle Free" campaign. Salt Lake City was the recipient of a $350,000 EPA grant to expand its air quality programs regionally and statewide. Finally, Mayor Becker is an avid support of additional trails and public transportation options and is currently working on a "Idle Free" Ordinance to further address air quality issues in the Salt Lake Valley. | |
| Making it easy and convenient for residents to walk, bike or take transit throughout the City | Fulfilled | Under Mayor Becker, bikeways and trails have been increased by nearly 50% in Salt Lake City. Additionally, on October 22, 2008, UTA and Salt Lake City officially broke ground to develop the Airport TRAX line. On October 20, 2010, Salt Lake City was awarded $26 million to develop a streetcar line to Sugar House and was recently awarded nearly $500,000 to conduct a feasibility study for a future downtown streetcar. Beyond transit, Mayor Becker worked to bring the U Car Share program to Salt Lake, developed shared green bike lanes, pushed for a "Complete Street" as part of the North Temple reconstruction, funded a Bike Transit Center at the Intermodal Hub, and is working to bring a Bike Share system to Salt Lake City. Finally, Salt Lake City's community housing plan sets goals to expand transit oriented developments throughout Salt Lake City. | |
| Finding ways to ensure that housing in the City (near where most people work) is affordable so that driving is less necessary | Ongoing | On October 22, 2010, Mayor Becker's administration transmitted an updated and revised Salt Lake City Community Housing Plan and Policy, intended to provide a framework for Salt Lake City's housing strategic decisions and plans. Additionally, Mayor Becker has been a strong advocate for Transit Oriented Developments (TOD's) throughout Salt Lake City. | |
| Having zoning laws that carefully permit commercial and public centers in neighborhoods that complement residential areas. | Ongoing | Following the neighborhood business conference, Salt Lake City is working on a neighborhood business plan and ways to promote vitality throughout the City. Additionally, a major part of the Sustainability Ordinance review is directed making Salt Lake's communities more walkable, including expanding neighborhood business access to residents. | |
| Providing incentives to builders, homeowners, and business owners to retrofit their structures so that they use fuels efficiently and/or use renewable and clean burning fuels | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Builders and Developers are now eligible for "front-of-the-line" permit processing if their developments are LEED certified. Additionally, the Comprehensive Sustainability Ordinance is working to include additional incentives for residents, businesses, and builders to build "green." | |
| Forge relationships with other municipalities and with the state, as well as business leaders to work toward shared air quality goals. | Fulfilled | On October 15, 2010, Mayor Becker convened government, community, and business leaders to address air quality issues as part of Salt Lake Solutions. Also see the Clear the Air Challenge and the "Turn Your Key, Be Idle Free" campaign. |
Downtown
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emphasize that downtown is a "neighborhood," and that it exists in relation to the City's other neighborhoods in terms of infrastructure (housing, transportation, etc.) | Fulfilled | see Neighborhoods | |
| Promote nightlife downtown and the fact that downtown is Utah's cultural hub | Fulfilled | see Neighborhoods | |
| Bring local artists back to downtown with an emphasis on small/medium scale arts | Ongoing | Mayor Becker has worked with the Salt Lake Arts Council to promote small and medium scale art programs in Salt Lake City. In the 2011 Budget, Salt Lake City created a new position to help coordinate and administer the Salt Lake City Arts Council grant program. The "Flying Object" and "Flying Objects" 2.0 are examples of public art programs in the downtown area. | |
| Evaluate and revise the RDA process to speed it up and give it guidance | |||
| Integrate existing arts groups into festival planning and to help encourage the promotion of downtown's nightlife. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | In 2009, Mayor Becker established the "Signature Events Fund" designed to provide funding and sponsor opportunities to festivals and activities the occur in Salt Lake City. Additionally, Mayor Becker has actively reached out to festival and arts group organizers during the planning for the Public Safety Building and future Utah Performing Arts Center. | |
| Work closely with Salt Lake County to concentrate and develop cultural facilities downtown | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County signed in interlocal agreement to establish dedicated funding for Arts and Culture downtown on December 1, 2010. |
Poverty
| Project | Summary | Status | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convene a Task Force to explore the ways in which Salt Lake City can strengthen its commitment to the health and well-being of its most vulnerable citizens. | Ongoing/Fulfilled | Since taking office, Mayor Becker has met quarterly with a group of poverty advocates in the Salt Lake City area. In January 2009, Salt Lake City hosted a Homeless Summit and non-profit, government, business, and residents. Through the Division of Housing and Neighborhood Development, Salt Lake City is currently working with non-profit, government, and private entities to develop a long term plan to address homelessness in Salt Lake City. | |
| I will work with the Salt Lake School District to create more "community schools." | …community schools add enrichment activities and social services to a strong educational curriculum to improve student achievement. | In Process | Salt Lake City is working with the Salt Lake School District and other public and private entities to establish funding for a Community Schools near Glendale and Lincoln Elementary. |
| Develop "Centers for Working Families" | …public and private resources to help low-income families advance up the job ladder and improve their financial literacy…and access important low-income supports like earned income tax credit and food stamps. | Ongoing/Intent Fulfilled | Salt Lake City actively supports low income service providers through various Community Development Block Grants. Additionally, Salt Lake City's Community Housing Plan outlines various goals to expand affordable and low income housing opportunities throughout the City. |
| Explore Strategies to increase housing affordability. | …expand bonding capacity of the Utah Housing Corporation…and support efforts to expand the City's ability to offer low-interest loans and down-payment assistance… | Ongoing | Through the Housing Trust Fund, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), the Salt Lake Housing Authority and other private and non-profit sources, Mayor Becker has actively worked to keep affordable housing in Salt Lake City. Additionally, the Salt lake City Community Housing Plan, transmitted to the Council on October 22, 2010, outlines specific strategic goals to address affordable housing issues in Salt Lake City. |
| Limit payday lending and predatory lending establishments. | Fulfilled | The Salt Lake City Council passed an ordinance limiting payday lending institutions in Salt Lake City on April 21, 2009. |
