To maintain the local vibe and historic nature of Old Town, city leaders restricted the number of chain stores allowed on upper and lower Main Street in 2017.
There are 17 spaces allowed for chains on upper Main, north of Heber Avenue, and they areall full. On lower Main, south of Heber Ave., two spots out of seven total are available.
The planning commission is reviewing city zoning rules to see what may need changes, and the chain ordinance for Main Street was at the top of their priority list.
The staff report doesn’t state whether the commission is looking at increasing or reducing spots available to chain stores.
The Historic Park City Alliance, which represents dozens of independent Main Street businesses, said it would like to see the ordinance left untouched. However, it suggested an exception to existing rules during the Sundance Film Festival. The alliance said current rules restrict some businesses from renting out their spaces to corporate tenants at lucrative rates.
The commission is also scheduled to discuss incentives for energy-efficient building designs. Because Utah is a non-home rule state, cities are not allowed to set energy rules more stringent than those established by the state legislature. But, cities can offer financial incentives such as fee waivers to builders who choose to go the eco-friendly route.
Other agenda items Wednesday include an update on the city’s intention to revise its general plan, which serves as a guidebook for land use decisions. According to a staff report, Park City plans to hire a consultant to assist with that in May. The general plan was last updated in 2014.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in city council chambers at the Marsac Building. The agenda and a link to attend virtually can be found here.