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Planning commission continues middle-housing setback debate, accepts $410,000 climate grant for multimodal plan and tree assessment
Summary
Covington’s Planning Commission discussed setbacks in middle-housing code updates under House Bill 1110 and accepted a $410,000 commerce climate grant to fund a multimodal plan, a 6,000-tree canopy assessment and downtown beautification standards.
Kenner Aronson, speaking for the Planning Commission, told the City Council on Feb. 25 that the commission held a public hearing and continued detailed deliberations on middle-housing code updates required by House Bill 1110.
“...we had a pretty lengthy discussion that we revealed tonight about the setback requirement from 5 feet compared to 7 and a half feet, for interior setbacks,” Aronson said, describing an ongoing technical debate about interior setback distances for middle-housing forms.
Aronson also reported the commission accepted a $410,000 commerce climate grant. He said the grant will primarily fund a multimodal plan intended to reduce vehicle miles traveled, a tree canopy assessment covering roughly 6,000 trees, and development of a downtown beautification and landscaping standard. Aronson said a draft multimodal plan is expected to be presented to the Planning Commission in the first quarter of the year.
The commission also reviewed climate modeling tools used to project greenhouse gas reductions and noted the city’s policy trajectory toward the targets discussed by the commission: 45% reduction (short-term), 70% by 2040 and 95% by 2050. Aronson cited a consultant demonstration of a “wedge chart” that projects how combined policies affect emissions over time.
Council members thanked the commission for the joint session and indicated additional joint meetings will follow to refine code and climate element language.
