Planning commissioners review proposed Urban Village Downtown zoning changes on setbacks, height and multifamily rules

Bellaire’s Planning and Zoning Commission met in workshop session to review proposed edits to the City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances (Chapter 24, Article 5, Section 24-5-37) governing the Urban Village Downtown (UVD) zoning district. Staff presented options on whether to keep single-family attached dwellings as a permitted use in UVD, a proposed 10-foot minimum and maximum for street-facing setbacks, revised rules for small constrained lots, height limits for small and large mixed‑use sites, and whether multifamily housing should require a plan development (PD) instead of being permitted by right.

Why this matters: the UVD amendments would shape how the city’s downtown redevelops — affecting where buildings sit relative to sidewalks, potential housing types near Spruce and Cedar streets, design outcomes for large parcels such as the Randall’s and H‑E‑B properties, and how parking and pedestrian improvements are implemented over time.

Staff planner Gary opened the presentation by reminding the commission that the session was a workshop and no final actions were planned: "This is workshop. We're not making decisions tonight," and then laid out a structure for discussion focused on use (single-family attached), yards/setbacks, height, and multifamily standards.

Single-family attached use: staff described the historical context and options. The 2009 comprehensive plan supported allowing some higher-density housing near downtown edges to provide "life" to the area; the current UVD text allows single-family attached dwellings (often described in the packet as "single family…