Chris Wharton
About
Chris Wharton's platform appears to focus on responsible development within Salt Lake City, particularly in areas like the Avenues District. As an incumbent, his campaign likely emphasizes his experience and established positions on key local issues.
Contact
Campaign promises (1)
- developmentChris Wharton has been a proponent of responsible development in Salt Lake City.Related votes
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 121
- Total speaking time
- 16:57:01
- Avg per meeting
- 8:24
- Segments
- 13555
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Voice summary
District 3 Council Member Chris Wharton on the recordAI-generated · 23 meetingsCouncil Member Chris Wharton consistently emphasizes long-term urban planning, fiscal responsibility, and proactive policy-making, frequently balancing development growth with historic preservation and community input. He has been deeply engaged in municipal infrastructure projects, including bond measures for parks and trails, while maintaining a strong focus on public safety, traffic regulation, and the environmental health of the Great Salt Lake. Notable actions include his leadership on labor negotiations, such as securing collective bargaining rights for library employees, and his pragmatic approach to urban development projects like the USA Climbing Headquarters.
Top issues during term (20)
Proposed Crude Oil Pipeline Expansion Concerns
Potential environmental cleanup and watershed contamination risks.
Poplar Grove Flood Recovery and Infrastructure Accountability
Impacts include thousands of dollars in uninsured property losses and emergency displacement costs for affected homeowners and renters.
Economic Development
Approximately $9.03 million in loan allocations will be distributed across seven projects, utilizing both project area funds and $3.18 million in non-project area revolving loan funds.
Sugar House Special Assessment Area
Averts additional property tax assessments for small businesses in the Sugar House commercial core.
sports franchise bid
A new team could mean a big boost to the local economy, with jobs and tax revenue from stadiums and tourism.
Westline Connect Pipeline Proposal
Financial impacts to the city are currently undetermined pending route finalization and engineering reviews.
Emergency Response Programs
The programs aim to improve efficiency and reduce costs by deploying appropriate, less expensive resources for non-emergency or low-acuity calls.
police incident
Potential future financial impacts could include investigation costs
Ballpark Area Zoning and Development Standards
Property value and development potential will shift as parcels transition to mixed-use zoning categories.
Airport Wetland Mitigation Property Disposition
Involves a $500,000 appraised value waiver for the conservation easement offsetting the land transaction price.
Hive Pass Program
Subsidies and administrative costs associated with municipal transit pass programs.
Ellerbeck Mansion Zoning and Land Use Amendment
Undetermined contributions to the city's housing fund to mitigate the loss of a residential unit.
Non-Residential Maximum Daily Water Use Limits
Helps preserve municipal water resources and infrastructure capacity.
Short-Term Rental Regulation
Not specified.
ICE detention center proposal
It's unclear yet how much this will cost taxpayers or if it'll bring any jobs, but residents are worried about the strain on city services.
Cybersecurity Liability Insurance
Potential adjustments to city risk management coverage levels and administrative review thresholds.
Moved or seconded (40)
Motions Wharton personally put forward or seconded. Attribution comes from the minutes; where the minutes name somebody we cannot match to the roster we leave it out rather than guess, so this is a floor, not a total.
- secondedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Council Member Dugan, seconded by Council Member Young to adopt Ordinance 28 of 2026, adopting an ordinance setting the final rate of tax levy, including the final levy fo…
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Director Wharton, seconded by Director Lopez Chavez to adjourn as the Board of the Community Reinvestment Agency and reconvene as the Salt Lake City Council for a Formal M…
- movedpassed 7-12026-08-18
adopt Resolution 6 of 2026, approving the Second Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Utah Inland Port Authority.
- secondedpassed 7-02026-08-18
close the public hearing and adopt Resolution 2 of 2026, honorarily renaming the City-owned portion of 500 South between State Street and 700 East “Dolores Huerta Boulevard.”
- movedpassed 6-02026-08-18
Moved by Board Member Wharton, seconded by Board Member Petro to adjourn as the Board of the Local Building Authority and reconvene as the Community Reinvestment Agency.
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Board Member Wharton, seconded by Board Member Carlsen to adjourn as the Local Building Authority and reconvene as the Community Reinvestment Agency.
- secondedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Council Member Young, seconded by Council Member Dugan to close the public hearing and refer items G-1 through G-4 to a future Consent Agenda for action.
- movedpassed 5-02026-08-18
Ordinance Zoning Map Amendment at Approximately 256 East 300 South The Council will set the date of Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 7 p.m. to accept public comment and consider adopting an ordinance that would amend the zoning of the property at approximately 256 East 300 South from R-MU (Residential/Mixe
Title matched to the agenda, not quoted from the motion
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Director Wharton, seconded by Director Dugan to adjourn as the Community Reinvestment Agency and reconvene as the Salt Lake City Council.
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Director Dugan, seconded by Director Young to adopt CRA Resolution 12 of 2026, approving the Fiscal Year 2026-27 CRA Budget reflected in the attached Key Changes spreadshe…
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Resolution: Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Salt Lake City Library Related to Tax Increment The Council will consider adopting a resolution that would approve the proposed amendment to the interlocal agreement to clarify the intended budget allocations of tax
Title matched to the agenda, not quoted from the motion
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Council Member Carlsen, seconded by Council Member Petro to adopt Ordinance 39 of 2026, approving an ordinance enacting Section 2.07.170 related to board member compensati…
- movedpassed 7-12026-08-18
Ordinance: Camping and Obstructing Public Property and Park Rules Text Amendment ~ 4:20 p.m. 30 min. The Council will receive a briefing about a proposal that would amend various sections of
Title matched to the agenda, not quoted from the motion
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Resolution: Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Salt Lake City Library Related to Tax Increment ~ 3:10 p.m
Title matched to the agenda, not quoted from the motion
- movedpassed 7-02026-08-18
Moved by Council Member Carlsen, seconded by Council Member Petro to adopt Ordinance 38 of 2026, approving an ordinance amending the text of Title 5 pertaining to short-term rental…
- movedpassed 7-02026-07-21
Moved by Council Member Wharton, seconded by Council Member Petro to approve the Consent Agenda.
- movedpassed 7-02026-07-21
Moved by Board Member Wharton, seconded by Board Member Carlsen to adjourn as the Local Building Authority and reconvene as the Community Reinvestment Agency.
- movedpassed 7-02026-07-21
Moved by Director Wharton, seconded by Director Dugan to adjourn as the Community Reinvestment Agency and reconvene as the Salt Lake City Council.
- movedpassed 5-02026-07-14
Welcome and Public Meeting Rules
Title matched to the agenda, not quoted from the motion
- movedpassed 7-02026-05-05
The Council will consider adopting a joint ceremonial resolution with Mayor Mendenhall recognizing February as Black History Month in Salt Lake City. Summary: Council Member Young read the resolution
Title matched to the agenda, not quoted from the motion
Decisions during term (346)
Recorded while Wharton was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Approval of Minutes
Adoption of Native American Heritage Month Resolution
Referral of Grant Applications (B1-B5)
Ballpark Zoning Map and Text Amendments
Postponement of Sugar House Special Assessment Area Resolution
Review of Risk Management Policies
Tree Preservation Amendments
Construction Right-of-Way Signage Requirements
Consent Agenda Ordinances
Ordinance: Electric-Assisted Bicycles, Motorcycles, and Other Electric Devices Text Amendment ~ 6:00 p.m.
Commercial Development Loan Program Funding Allocations
Motion to Enter Closed Meeting
Approval of Minutes
Italian-American Heritage Month Resolution
Deferral: Waiver of Proximity for Taste of Thai
Deferral: Community Correctional Facilities and Jails Text Amendment
Voting record (909)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.