Commission hears draft form-based code for Murray City Center; commissioners flag parking, food-cart and signage issues

The Murray City Planning Commission on Jan. 16 received a presentation and discussion of a draft form-based code for the Murray City Center from city staff and consultants with VODA Landscape and Planning.

Mark, a principal consultant with VODA, described form-based code as a land-use regulatory approach that prioritizes the physical form of buildings—height, setbacks, placement and public frontage—over rigid use categories. The proposed code would replace the existing MCCCD (Murray City Center Commercial Development) zone for properties inside the city-center boundary and create multiple “form districts” with tailored height, frontage and streetscape standards.

Staff and consultants said the code is intended to encourage walkable, reusable buildings and predictable outcomes for property owners and the city. The draft includes regulations and prototype graphics for building types, street types, open space, parking, landscaping and signage; an administration chapter contains a worksheet meant to streamline review and show which tables apply to a given project.

Commissioners…