In a recent government meeting, discussions centered around proposed changes to landscaping and zoning requirements for residential developments, particularly focusing on triplexes and fourplexes. Currently, single-family homes and duplexes are exempt from landscaping plan requirements, but developments exceeding these types must allocate 3% of their construction budget to landscaping and hire a professional landscape architect. This requirement has been deemed impractical for small-scale developments.

To address these concerns, officials are considering treating triplexes and fourplexes similarly to single-family homes and duplexes, potentially eliminating the landscaping requirement altogether. A compromise may involve mandating the planting of street trees without imposing specific landscaping obligations.

Additionally, a new requirement for professional land surveys is being proposed for constructions near lot lines to prevent encroachments. The meeting also highlighted the increasing prevalence of footprint lots—where individual homes are assigned their own parcels of land within a shared condominium development. This practice, already accepted in other municipalities, is being clarified in the zoning regulations to ensure consistency in lot coverage and setbacks.

Parking regulations and fire access standards were also discussed, with emphasis on ensuring that any additional buildings on lots are accessible for fire trucks or equipped with sprinkler systems, as advised by the fire chief. The meeting concluded with a call for further discussion on parking and curb cut standards, indicating ongoing deliberation on these critical urban planning issues.