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Members briefly discuss HB 631 (allowing residential in commercial zones); committee will compare companion Senate bill
Summary
Committee members discussed HB 631, which would permit residential building in commercial zones by right. Chair said the committee should compare the House draft with a related Senate bill (S.B. 19) and hold a follow-up work session.
HB 631 would allow residential development in commercial zones by right. Committee members said they support the concept but flagged drafting, mixed definitions of 'commercial' and possible overreach into detailed site-plan requirements.
Representative Thackston asked that the committee hold the bill until a related Senate bill (S.B. 19) could be reviewed side-by-side; the chair agreed to schedule a committee work session to compare versions and to use the Senate bill as a skeleton for a cleaner approach.
Representative Dumont urged the committee to adopt a concise definition of commercial use, noting that 'commercial' can include strip malls, multi-family and industrial uses in different towns; clarity will be necessary for the bill to work across municipalities.
Outcome: The committee scheduled a follow-up work session next week to review both versions and draft a consolidated proposal.
