Planning briefs commission on proposed RMF‑35/45 reform to promote infill, form‑based code and preservation incentives

Planning staff briefed the Historic Landmark Commission on a proposed city‑initiated text amendment to reform RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 multifamily residential rules into a single, form‑based district. Staff said the goal is to clarify development standards, better match zoning to existing neighborhood patterns, promote moderate infill and provide incentives to preserve existing housing — while adding specific design standards to protect nearby historic resources.

Grant Amon and Aaron Barlow presented the background: RMF‑35 and RMF‑45 date to the 1995 zoning rewrite but staff found those districts often do not function as written — many lots are too narrow or too small to meet minimum lot width (50 feet) or 5,000‑square‑foot lot area thresholds, and since 1996 only a small percentage of properties in those zones have seen new construction permits. Staff proposed a form‑based approach that regulates by building type (urban house/two‑family,…