Newcastle planners consider voluntary inclusionary options; $13/square‑foot fee‑in‑lieu and 10% set‑aside among proposals

Summary

Commissioners discussed draft affordable‑housing measures that could accompany upzones, including a 10% on‑site set‑aside at 80% area median income and an in‑lieu fee of $13 per square foot. Staff and ARCH offered to model feasibility; commissioners and public asked for more analysis and public outreach.

At the March 26 Newcastle Planning Commission meeting commissioners spent an extended portion of the agenda discussing voluntary affordable‑housing tools staff proposed to pair with state‑driven zoning changes.

Associate Planner Tyler Coyle framed the options as voluntary choices the city could make while it implements required middle‑housing and ADU code changes. Coyle described two principal approaches presented to the commission: (1) an inclusionary‑style requirement that would require developers to make a portion of new units affordable, and (2) a fee‑in‑lieu option that would let developers pay to satisfy the requirement instead of building affordable units onsite.

Key proposal summarized

- Inclusionary target: staff presented a draft framework that would require 10% of units in qualifying developments to be affordable at 80% of area median income (AMI) with rounding rules so whole units are built onsite and fractional shares handled by fee‑in‑lieu or other options. Staff used 80% AMI as the…

Newcastle planners consider voluntary inclusionary options; $13/square‑foot fee‑in‑lieu and 10% set‑aside among proposals

Summary

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