The City of Avondale Planning Commission on Oct. 15 unanimously recommended City Council adopt a Central Business District designation and related general plan and zoning-code text amendments to implement middle housing required under state law.

Monica Smriti, senior planner, presented the city-initiated proposals (applications PL-25-0190 and PL-25-0188) and said they respond to state House Bill 2721, which allows duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and townhomes as permitted uses on single-family lots within one mile of a central business district. Smriti said the city must adopt middle-housing regulations by Jan. 1, 2026, or the law would allow middle housing on all single-family zoned lots in the city by default.

To comply, staff proposed three steps: designate a Central Business District (CBD) for middle-housing purposes by resolution, amend the General Plan 2030 to include the CBD, and adopt a new zoning code article establishing middle-housing regulations. Staff recommended selecting three Boulevard subdistricts — Gateway, Village and Park Avenue — as the CBD for middle-housing because they are centrally located and their land uses align with the state's CBD definition. Smriti displayed a map showing the proposed CBD boundary and the corresponding one-mile radius; she said green areas on the map zoned single-family would be affected by the change.

Smriti said the zoning amendment adds new definitions and a four-section article establishing purpose, eligibility criteria and design standards for middle housing. She told commissioners private covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) or homeowners‑association rules would remain private matters and would not be overridden by the zoning-code amendment.

Staff reported no public comments to date. The commission opened and closed a single public hearing for the two items with no speakers and voted to recommend approval. Commissioner Guzman moved to recommend approval of the general plan amendment (PL-25-0190) with a second by Commissioner Jewell; the motion passed 6-0. Commissioner Jewell moved to recommend approval of the zoning-code text amendment (PL-25-0188) with a second by Commissioner Pineda; that motion also passed 6-0.