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Council adopts interim ordinance to allow townhomes in R7 district, waives two-reading rule
Summary
Monroe City Council voted 7–0 to waive the two-reading rule and adopt an interim ordinance permitting townhomes in the R7 zoning district, including development and design standards; council also corrected an agenda citation to chapter 22.42 MMC during the meeting.
City planners and councilmembers described an interim zoning ordinance that designates townhomes as a permitted use in the R7 single-family zoning district and adopted the ordinance under an interim process to allow specific developments to proceed.
Planner Marrero told council the interim amendments modify Monroe Municipal Code Chapter 22.16 (single-family residential districts) and add Chapter 22.42 design standards for townhome development, updating the land-use table and bulk requirements to include attached dwelling units. Marrero said the interim ordinance aligns with the city’s updated comprehensive-plan housing element and is intended to allow the Monroe 30 annexation development and other potential townhome projects to move forward while staff completes a broader housing code.
Councilmember Hanford moved to waive council rules of procedure requiring two readings of the ordinance; Councilmember Fisher seconded and the motion passed 7–0. Councilmember Hanford then moved to adopt the interim ordinance; Councilmember Fisher seconded and the council adopted the ordinance on a 7–0 vote. During the discussion the council identified a drafting/agenda citation error: an item read on the agenda as chapter 22.16 should have cited chapter 22.42. Councilmember Beaumont moved and Councilmember Scarborough seconded an amendment correcting the citation; the amendment passed 7–0 and the ordinance was adopted as shown on the screen with chapter 22.42 cited for the design standards.
Planner Marrero told council that portions of the code packet did not yet reflect a Phase 1 code cleanup that was codified online the day of the meeting; she said adopting the interim ordinance would not invalidate the clean-up and staff would ensure the adopted language aligns with prior code changes. Marrero said the interim ordinance sets development standards (lot dimensions, setbacks, lot coverage, density) and a post-adoption public hearing is required.
