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Council studies RM zoning changes to accommodate townhomes and “missing middle” housing
Summary
Planning staff led by Joe Moss presented options to bridge the gap between existing RM‑5/RM‑6 rules and higher-density townhome or multifamily development, including a potential point-based design menu, added standards for transitions, and use of PD overlay when needed.
Joe Moss, the city’s long-range planner, briefed the South Jordan City Council on Feb. 18, 2025, about proposed amendments to the city’s residential multiple (RM) zoning to create clearer standards for townhomes, duplexes and other medium-density housing.
Moss and Director Steven Schafermeyer told council members the city currently has RM‑5 and RM‑6 districts that cap density and lack specific design standards for townhomes or multifamily development. Schafermeyer said the goal is “to bridge the gap between R M 6 and R M 8” and give applicants a consistent baseline so that developers do not rely solely on the PD floating zone for most middle-density projects.
Moss reviewed comparisons with neighboring cities, examples of townhome, duplex and multifamily designs and how identical gross densities can produce very different street-scale effects. “The big takeaway here is this is our purpose statement for our residential districts. The only housing type that it actually calls out is single family,” Moss said, arguing the code’s purpose language and development standards do not reflect a wider set of housing types.
Staff presented three broad options: create a new RM zone with standards for medium-density housing; use a point- or menu-based system (similar to programs in Salt Lake City) that rewards desirable urban-design elements; or continue to use PD overlays but strengthen PD standards so the reviews are less ad hoc. Moss explained that a point system could allow administrative approvals if a project meets a minimum number of design points, while PD would remain an option for projects that need exceptions.
Council members pushed on how design quality would be sustained without imposing excessive cost on developers. Council member Kathy Johnson emphasized creativity and roofline, setback and landscaping variety; other members said landscaping, sidewalks and street interaction are key to a comfortable pedestrian experience. Some members said they favored a points menu to preserve flexibility while raising baseline design quality; others warned against a one‑size‑fits‑all approach and urged case-by-case consideration for large parcels and master-planned areas.
Staff said next steps are to incorporate council feedback into a draft RM proposal, take it to the Planning Commission for review, and return to council for adoption. No zoning changes were adopted at the study meeting.
