Laserfiche WebLink
r <br />TO: <br />FROM: <br />DATE: <br />Mayor Peterson and Council Members <br />Ron Moorse, City Administrator <br />April 7, 2004 <br />SUBJECT : Zoning Code Updates Needed <br />1 here are a number of key areas of the zoning code that do not provide the City with the capabilities <br />it needs to adequately guide development. One of these areas is the zoning regulations related to <br />residential development at densities greater than two units per acre. Another is the regulations <br />related to commercial development. <br />For a number of reasons, staff is recommending the council consider two development moratoria to <br />enable r.c v zoning regulations to be developed and implemented. The first moratorium, which <br />would be related to higher density residential development, would be put in place os soon as <br />possible. The purpose of this moratorium is to enable new zoning regulations related to higher <br />density residential development to be developed and put in place prior to the City receiving <br />development applications related to this type of development. <br />The second moratorium, which would be related to a much broader range of zoning applications, <br />would be put in place from November, 2004 through February, 2005. The purpose of the second <br />moratorium is to give Planning staff a period ol time to focus specifically on updating priority <br />sections of the zoning code. <br />Zoning Regulations Related to Higher Density Residential Development <br />In relation to the residential development, as part of the update of the City's Comprehensive Plan, <br />the City re-guided two areas from 2-acre density to 2-4 units per acre density to enable the provision <br />of a broader range of housing to meet the life-cycle housing needs of the City ’s residents. If a 15 <br />acre parcel was developed at 2-acre density it could be de\ eloped into approximately 7 lots. If <br />developed at two units per acre, it would result in approximately 30 units on the property. If it was <br />developed at 4 units per acre, it would result in 60 units. This substantially increased density is a <br />substantial financial windfall for the property owner. <br />The City docs not currently have the type of zoning regulations in place to enable it to adequately <br />guide this t> pe of development. The types of regulations to be developed include items such as <br />minimum standards for townhouse design, and density standards that provide for additional <br />requirements as the density increases. <br />Since the substantial increase in density allowed by the Comprehensive Plan substantially increased <br />the value of the property, providing a potential windfall to the property owner; the City could add <br />regulations, tied to the higher end of the allowed density range, that would place more requirements <br />on the development that would benefit both the City and the development. This could include <br />quality of materials, amenities, etc.