Planning commission debates 14-story cap, parking and pedestrian streets in form-based code; asks staff for 3-D visuals and wider review

The South Burlington Planning Commission spent the meeting’s longest session discussing proposed form‑based code height limits, street-role designations and related development standards. Commissioners and staff debated a proposed 14‑story maximum in the T5 (Market Street) zone, a 150‑foot height cap, incentives for affordable housing, parking maximums, unit-mix considerations, site‑amenity rules and measures to reduce the visual massing of taller buildings.

Commissioners heard that the 14‑story upper bound was chosen after benchmarking comparable cities where taller buildings felt visually imposing; staff described 14 as “mid‑rise” that would allow significant new housing while attempting to limit abrupt skyline changes. Commissioners and several members of the public asked for three‑dimensional massing visualizations and street‑level views before committing to a definitive height cap. Paul, a city planning staff member, presented an initial SketchUp massing exercise during the…