Design Review Board backs UDO change to hand bonus calculations to zoning officer, urges council to pause vote

The Design Review Board voted Sept. 24 to offer a favorable advisory opinion to City Council on a proposed amendment to the city's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would transfer responsibility for determining compliance with development bonus actions from the Planning Board to the zoning officer.

Board members said the change would simplify the process for calculating height bonuses and provide clearer administrative responsibility, but asked the council to pause its final vote so planning staff can review the current bonus actions and consider possible changes to the incentives.

Susan Varden, who presented the change at the board's request, said the proposal responds to the fact that the planning board's bonus decision is largely a calculation (for example, the affordable-housing square footage required for a height premium) or a verification better handled later by the building department. Under the amendment the zoning officer would determine whether a proposed bonus action meets the standards and intent to achieve the height bonus.

Board members expressed support for the simplification. Several suggested the pause would allow staff to revisit whether all of the current bonus options remain appropriate; one member recommended limiting bonus actions to affordable housing only, while others urged broader review rather than immediate removal of other options.

The board moved and seconded a motion offering a favorable advisory opinion on the amendment with two recommendations: replace the planning board's role with the zoning officer (code administrator) for bonus determinations, and that the City Council consider tabling the amendment to permit planning staff to review possible adjustments to the list of bonus incentives.

The motion passed without recorded opposition.