Nick Norris
Planning Director
Salt Lake City
Nick Norris is the Planning Director for the Salt Lake City. He is passionate about the city and is motivated to improve the quality of life for all of its citizens. Nick is constantly looking at improving how things are done and despises doing things “the way they have always been done.” He enjoys helping people find workable solutions to complex land use and development issues. Nick has been involved in a variety of planning activities in his career, including a strategic and measured update to the Salt Lake City zoning ordinance, working on people oriented development, preservation of sensitive lands and historic buildings, revamping the city’s master plan program, and leading an amazing team. At some point in the past, he became a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. When he is able to get away from the daily grind, Nick is usually spending his free time in the outdoors, running the trails in the foothills, biking up the canyons, or skiing in the backcountry (usually before the sun comes up). Nick graduated from the University of Utah and has been involved in urban planning since 2001.
Session(s):
Growing a Walkable Urban Center in Sugar House »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 10, 2025 9:45 amThis walking tour explores the zoning and planning that shaped a thriving, walkable business district in Sugar House, one of Salt Lake City’s oldest neighborhoods. Sugar House has rapidly developed a high-density, mixed-use center often referred to as the City’s “Second Downtown.” A multimodal transportation network, including the S-Line Greenway and light rail, connects the area to open spaces, trails, and amenities. Learn how thoughtful planning has driven growth while preserving the neighborhood’s historic character.
Form-Based Code in the Real World »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 9, 2025 1:45 pmThis walking tour will discuss how Salt Lake City's first form-based code has resulted in significant mixed-use, infill development in the Central Ninth neighborhood. The emerging neighborhood sits on the southern end of downtown and is served by a light rail station that every line in the system passes through, connecting the neighborhood to every destination in UTAs Trax system. Three different protected bike paths converge in the neighborhood, making it one of the most bikeable neighborhoods in the city. Learn about the process that SLC went through to implement a form-based code in the neighborhood, the lessons learned over the years, and how the city aligned other tools for the neighborhood to grow.
Infill Options: Opening Up Your Zoning Ordinance to More Housing Options »
APA UT- 2024 Fall Conference, Provo UT, October 11, 2024 2:45 pmNationally we are seeing communities that are dropping the exclusively single-household zones. To some extent the traditional zoning of the last 30 to 40 years policies are at the very least income-based discrimination. Many of our older neighborhoods have a variety of housing types, but in recent years mixed neighborhoods have not been popular. Learn from one Utah community that has broadened their zoning ordinance and learn about infill options that could provide a greater variety of housing types in your neighborhood. [embed]https://youtu.be/KogoPwgJqwI[/embed]
= Keynote
