City holds public hearing on consolidated land development regulations; residents raise tree, open-space and block-size concerns

City staff presented a consolidated set of land development regulations at a public hearing April 2, 2025, laying out a framework that would replace the city’s older subdivision rules and apply to major new subdivisions and large site plans.

The draft code combines subdivision and site-development requirements into an eight‑chapter format covering site analysis, site design, approvals and construction. Staff said the rules are intended to cover new major subdivisions and major site plans — such as apartment complexes, senior housing or large commercial projects — not routine modifications to existing lots.

The Planning and Zoning Commission sent a letter dated Feb. 24, 2025, recommending unanimous approval of the revisions and that recommendation prompted the council’s public hearing. Staff described proposed provisions that include required surveys and environmental assessments for large projects; an integrated stormwater and grading regime; tree protection and replacement plans; required graphic (color) site plans and building elevations; and new “impact study” authority for traffic, schools, public safety and economic effects on a case‑by‑case basis.

Members of the public and council asked detailed questions about specific requirements. Comments and concerns that surfaced during the hearing included: - Street trees: commenters noted that very narrow lots (the draft allows attached single‑family lots as narrow as 28 feet) can leave little space for street‑tree plantings and expressed concern about a proposed easement requirement that could obligate property owners to allow trees on private property; one speaker asked that tree planting be optional or alternatively that required trees be located elsewhere within a project when the lot frontage is too narrow. - Open‑space quality and percentage: speakers said developers sometimes meet a numerical open‑space minimum by dedicating poor‑quality or inaccessible land. Staff and commissioners said the draft retains an 8% open‑space benchmark for typical subdivisions but adds descriptive guidance and categories (pocket parks, pedestrian plazas for mixed‑use areas, natural open space with trails) so the requirement is not satisfied by unusable land. - Block size and access lanes: the draft includes standards requiring internal access lanes where block areas exceed seven acres and sets block‑type distances to guide street and lot layout. Participants asked whether the standard could limit large‑lot, low‑density subdivisions; staff said they would clarify how the table applies where low home counts fall on large lots.

Staff also showed street‑section examples and right‑of‑way tables illustrating how different street types (for example, 50‑ to 62‑foot rights‑of‑way) would be configured, and noted that the city will digitize the zoning map using GIS. The draft cross‑references existing city infrastructure details, and staff said the service director’s infrastructure design standards will be appended as technical details.

No final council action to adopt the land development regulations occurred at the hearing. Staff said they will take public input and return with edits; commissioners and staff noted they would continue coordination with the Planning & Zoning Commission and the service director on engineering standards and street‑tree placement.

Votes at a glance (formal actions taken elsewhere on the agenda): - Approval of council minutes from March 19, 2025 — adopted (roll call recorded as yes from Councilmembers Schafer, Jones, Powell, Stiles, Wolf, Almond and Cox; mover/second not specified in the transcript excerpt). - Resolution 25‑R‑22, authorizing the city to enter into an agreement with Envision Group LLC to serve as planning consultant for New Franklin — adopted (roll call recorded as yes from Councilmembers Jones, Powell, Styles, Wolf, Aument, Cox and Schaefer; mover/second not specified in the transcript excerpt). - Sale/trade‑in of a 2015 Ford Explorer to Montrose Ford for $1,400 — adopted (roll call recorded as yes from Councilmembers Cox, Schaefer, Jones, Powell, Stiles, Wolf and Ahmed; mover/second not specified in the transcript excerpt). - Motion directing the city to send a letter opposing Senate Bill 104 (state preemption of municipal short‑term rental rules) — adopted (motion passed; specific roll call names not fully clear in the transcript excerpt).

The city will return the revised draft to the Planning & Zoning Commission and to council after incorporating changes from the hearing and further staff edits. Staff indicated that tables and graphics in the draft are highlighted by edit type to make revisions easier to review.