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Commission asks staff to refine duplex policy after heated public debate
Summary
After residents and speakers clashed over whether duplexes should remain permitted in P‑2 and P‑3 zones, the commission voted to send the issue back to staff for more options: possible geographic limits, parking/setback standards, or lot‑size thresholds to retain neighborhood character while preserving housing options.
The Planning & Zoning Commission on a majority vote sent staff back to draft refined options for how duplexes should be regulated in P‑2 and P‑3 residential areas after a long public debate and conflicting testimony.
Staff presented a proposed change that would remove duplexes from the list of permitted building types in P‑2 and P‑3; the intent was to protect single‑family neighborhood character and prevent a single‑lot clearing being replaced by multiple rental units or short‑term rentals. The proposal drew immediate response. Residents urged commissioners to preserve housing options and affordability — pointing to existing duplexes and deed‑restricted areas where duplexes already exist — while others said historic neighborhoods were vulnerable to wholesale redevelopment and that stricter limits were needed.
Commissioners and the public debated three core issues: (1) whether duplexes should be entirely banned in P‑2 and P‑3 or only restricted in certain subareas (for instance, older historic blocks), (2) whether lot‑size minimums and parking/setback standards could address the same concerns more surgically than an outright ban, and (3) whether developers would simply use ADUs or other mechanisms to achieve similar density if duplexes were prohibited.
After discussion, the commission voted to ask staff to return with alternative regulatory options rather than forwarding a blanket prohibition: staff was asked to draft geographically targeted limits (for example, carve out historic neighborhoods), parking and setback standards specific to duplexes, and lot‑size or driveway/parking minima that would reduce the chance of spillover curb‑parking on narrow streets. The commission asked staff to present those options at the next meeting for a clearer policy choice.
Next steps: staff will draft several options for the commission that could include targeted geographic restrictions, minimum lot sizes for duplexes, or parking/setback standards and will return for review before any final recommendation to council.
