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Public hearing planned on Chapter 24 zoning changes; commissioners urge participation on fences, signs and downtown height rules
Summary
City staff said a public hearing at the next council meeting will consider wide-ranging amendments to Chapter 24 (zoning), including reorganizing fence rules into a table, clarifying sign regulations and reconsidering minimum building‑height rules in the Urban Village Downtown district.
City planning and building staff told the Building and Standards Commission that City Council will hold a public hearing next week on a consolidated set of Chapter 24 zoning amendments covering fences, signs, building heights and other zoning housekeeping.
Travis Tanner, director of development services, said the consultant is reorganizing fence regulations into a table to make them easier to interpret and that the sign code will also be cleaned up. Staff emphasized that the public hearing notice covers all of Chapter 24, so residents may comment on any zoning topics in that chapter — including building heights in the Urban Village Downtown district, downtown Planned Developments (PDs) and sign rules often called ‘yard signs’ or stake signs.
Commissioners discussed specific items they expect to surface at the hearing. Several commissioners and staff noted a longstanding local practice allowing some fences that extend forward of a house’s front face; staff described that as a prior staff decision and said the draft zoning amendments will close the loophole and clarify when fences are allowed in front yards or near the right of way.
The commission also discussed building‑height language in the Urban Village Downtown district. Staff said the current code includes a minimum building height requirement of two stories in that district; the comprehensive plan update and staff/consultant recommendations support removing the minimum. Commissioners were told maximum heights remain in place and vary by development type and PD approvals.
The sign code changes include new wording for what the draft calls “stake signs” (commonly called yard signs) and otherwise reorganize signage provisions; staff encouraged commissioners to attend the public hearing and to capture residents’ feedback. No formal council action had been taken at the time of the Feb. 27 meeting; the public hearing is scheduled at the next council meeting.
