Planning department delays major zoning engagement while advancing technical work after tornado

John Rowe, executive director of the Planning and Urban Design Agency, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 28 that PDA will continue technical work on a comprehensive zoning code and map upgrade but is pausing broad public engagement in the wake of recent tornado damage.

Why it matters: the zoning upgrade follows the planning commission’s February adoption of a strategic land use plan that serves as a core element of the city’s comprehensive plan. PDA officials said they want full, equitable community participation in zoning changes and are delaying some outreach while neighborhoods recover from the tornado.

What PDA presented: Rowe outlined PDA’s mission and staff structure and introduced division leaders who described active initiatives:

- Strategic land use plan: Miriam Keller, city planning executive, said the plan was adopted by the planning commission in February and provides a long-range land use map and implementation strategies for zoning and other policies.

- Zoning upgrade: Keller said the department is advancing technical work, supported with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but paused broad community engagement to ensure people affected by the tornado have the opportunity to fully participate. She said the city will still use the ARPA allocation within federal deadlines and may rely on advisory committees formed during the strategic land use process as a bridge for stakeholder input.

- Transportation and mobility: Scott Ogilby, program manager for Complete Streets, said the city is drafting a citywide transportation and mobility plan intended for planning-commission adoption this fall. Ogilby said themes from more than 2,000 resident interactions include safety, connectivity and maintenance. He noted a safety goal to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on city streets by 50 percent by 2050 and reported roughly $300 million in funded transportation projects and about 25 miles of planned new bikeways across the city.

- Sustainability and resilience: PDA discussed an update to the city’s sustainability plan, greenhouse gas inventory work, and interagency projects including building performance standards and green infrastructure efforts. PDA said some staff travel and conference attendance were funded over the past year to build technical capacity.

- GIS and tornado response: Ibrahim Gummel, GIS manager, described mapping and dashboards that supported emergency operations, damage assessment and resource allocation during the tornado response. He said PDA’s GIS work provides public-facing maps of shelters, charging stations and assistance sites and that enterprise mapping licenses have grown across city departments.

Public questions and follow-up: committee members asked whether the tornado will change the agency’s approach to zoning and planning. Keller said PDA is investigating quick code amendments to reduce barriers to rebuilding nonconforming structures and will consider changes that make it easier for homeowners to repair and return. Members also pressed PDA on tree-canopy restoration and permit review; Bob Bettis, director of the Cultural Resources Office, said permit requests have been handled on a case-by-case basis and staff are taking a flexible approach to individual homeowner repair permits.

What’s next: PDA said it will continue technical zoning work and stage engagement to allow meaningful participation by affected neighborhoods. The agency noted a roughly $7 million HUD pro-housing competitive grant to support zoning work and preapproved housing plans that will be coordinated with PDA, the Community Development Administration and SLDC.