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Council debates changing residential special‑use permit threshold; asks staff to study option C as starting point
Summary
Councilors discussed four options to adjust the town's residential special‑use permit (SUP) requirement and directed staff to pursue further analysis starting from option C (exempt tier‑2 rezoned projects with a 5% modification window), while requesting comparative research of other municipalities and a SWOT analysis.
Council discussed whether to change the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) rule that requires subdivisions with more than 200 residential units to obtain a special‑use permit. Planning staff presented four approaches: (a) keep the current rule; (b) repeal it entirely; (c) exempt projects that already complete a tier‑2 conditional rezoning but tighten post‑approval modification thresholds to 5 percent; and (d) raise the single‑family threshold to 500 while keeping tighter review for townhomes and apartments.
Council members said they want to streamline the process where it is duplicative but cautioned against removing meaningful local review. Several members favored option C as a workable starting point; others argued for comparative research and a fuller statewide or regional review before committing to a specific change. Members asked staff to prepare a strengths‑weaknesses‑opportunities‑threats (SWOT) analysis, gather examples from other municipalities (including larger and smaller jurisdictions and those that have recently changed their SUP rules), and analyze transportation and fiscal impacts tied to any change.
The council made a motion to start the UDO-review process using option C as a draft and to include comparative research and analysis. Members discussed timelines; staff estimated the procedural steps to run a UDO change (public hearing, planning commission review and a council public hearing) would take about 90 days, while a broader comparative/analytical study could take about 120 days. Councilors emphasized the need to avoid unintended consequences and asked staff to return with analysis and recommendations before any final ordinance change.
