City officials outline implementation of infill ordinance and 'site plan light' rules to reduce drainage costs

City Development Services and Watershed Protection staff told the Housing and Planning Committee on July 12 that the city is implementing the infill development ordinance intended to simplify review and reduce drainage-related costs for small lot subdivisions and certain small multifamily projects.

Brent Lloyd, a development officer in the Development Services Department, said the ordinance focuses on drainage requirements and administrative processes that historically were calibrated for large greenfield subdivisions. He described three primary project categories: very small lot re-subdivisions (parcels less than 17,780 square feet), projects up to 1 acre that require limited grading, and small-scale multifamily "site plan light" projects of roughly five to 16 units. "The ordinance will take effect next week on June 16," Lloyd said in the briefing…