Committee reviews zoning definitions; members ask for clearer glossary entries on buffering, form-based zoning and rural–urban transect

The committee reviewed sections of the draft that describe different zoning approaches — Euclidean zoning, form-based zoning, incentives-based zoning and the rural-to-urban transect — and asked staff to confirm whether the text is descriptive (definitions) or prescriptive (a recommendation the county should adopt).

Members warned that the plan should avoid language that appears to recommend a single zoning approach countywide. One member noted the draft says the rural-to-urban transect is "the foundation of form-based zoning districts in many communities," and asked the committee to confirm whether the draft is defining the concept or promoting it for Jefferson County. Another member suggested the term "farming" vs "agriculture" should be used consistently because the assessor's definitions and state statutes use particular terms for tax and zoning classifications.

The committee also raised a specific question about the term "buffering" in the text and whether the glossary should include a clear, measurable definition (for example, indicating typical buffer widths or that buffer widths vary by rural/urban designation). Staff said many of those specifics would be addressed during UDO revisions and in implementation rules, but committee members requested the glossary be expanded to include buffering and other commonly used terms so readers can find definitions later in the document.

The conversation concluded with a request that staff check the draft for any passages that move from definition to recommendation and to flag those for the committee if they intend to propose a countywide change.