Residents call on the Salt Lake City Council to formally support a ceasefire in Gaza 

• Wikicommons

A crowd of roughly 40 people attended the Salt Lake City Council meeting on Dec. 12 to advocate for a ceasefire for the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Additionally, the Council voted to approve several ordinances, including one that would allow for a temporary housing shelter, another that adopts a City Council Code of Conduct and one that adopts a rezone for the site of a Victorian Mansion in Sugar House. The Council also said goodbye to Councilmember Ana Valdemoros and thanked Councilmember Darin Mano for his time as council chair.

Gaza Ceasefire
Roughly 20 people spoke to the Council during the public comment period to request formal support for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Many other supporters of the cause filled chairs in the audience, holding signs calling for an end to Israel's occupation of Gaza or wearing apparel depicting the Palestinian flag. Several speakers criticized the Council’s silence about the conflict and called them complacent.

“I'm a first generation Mexican-American here and my ancestors did not fight colonization for me to remain silent during a genocide,” Josefa Martinez told the Council. “I am urging you guys to call for a ceasefire.”

After the Council closed public comments, Councilmember Victoria Petro took a moment to address the speakers. First she asked that everyone “remain curious” and remember that Council members are not just representatives of government, but people too. Second, she asked everyone to flesh out what a ceasefire demand would look like for them.

“To have something to know what is significant to you would be really helpful to me as a representative,” Petro said. “You and I, the people who I sit up here with, we're living at a complex time in history. You want to know why? We've had cans kicked down the road to us. An entire generation didn't invest in infrastructure, leave crumbling roads … They didn't take care of social issues, so we're still kneeling on the necks of Black men.”

Petro stressed the scope of her responsibilities as a Councilmember and her duty to protect Salt Lakers.

“Thank you all for showing up. I'm really proud to be a Salt Laker tonight,” she said.

Petro invited the audience to email her so that everyone can work on the next steps together. After concluding her statement, an audience member yelled a demand for ceasefire, referring to Councilmembers as “monsters” before leaving the room.

Sanctioned Camping
The Council voted unanimously to approve a temporary zoning regulation that would authorize the operation of a shelter community for up to six months. The project, Salt Lake and Utah’s first experiment with sanctioned camping for the unsheltered, will be located at 255 S. 600 West, just east of Salt Lake Central Station, and has been organized with the State Office of Homeless Services.

“The site has 27 portable living structures intended to provide temporary living quarters for up to 50 persons experiencing homelessness and office space for at least two on-site support staff,” a description of the ordinance reads.

Additionally, the Council voted unanimously to adopt a City Council Code of Conduct and to approve a rezone at 2157 S. Lincoln Street, with conditions.

A Victorian home currently occupies this property. The rezone will allow the home to be preserved and used in a future development. Under the conditions of this rezone, the property owner must construct sidewalks that are at least seven feet wide and maintain and repair the exterior of the home as needed, among other requirements.

Recognitions of Service
The Council took a moment to recognize Council member Valdemoros’ time on the Council and to recognize Council member Mano for serving as council chair in 2023.

“Today is my last official Council meeting and I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to District 4 for the privilege of serving Salt Lake City these last five years,” Valdemoros said in a recorded video statement.

Mano read a statement from the Council bidding Valdemoros farewell and listed some of her accomplishments, which include being the first Latina elected to the Salt Lake City Council in 2019.

“Just a few years later we became, and are still, a minority-majority Council,” Mano said. “Thank you for being a mentor to me, for proving to me that a city planning nerd from the University of Utah can make it on the City Council and for proving to the whole city that minorities belong in this seat.”

Valdemoros was given a canvas print of the City & County building to commemorate her time on the Council.

Councilmember Petro then read a statement from the Council thanking and commemorating Mano for his time as Council chair. Mano was given a laser cut wooden map of Salt Lake City.

“Your leadership and expertise have been instrumental in steering our city towards a future of continued growth and inclusivity,” Petro read.

Councilmembers Valdemoros, Alejandro Puy, Dan Dugan and Chris Wharton later all took moments to personally thank Mano for this leadership as chair.