Commissioners briefed on reduced Hampton Road character-code boundary, public outreach and next hearings

Planning staff and the city's economic development director briefed the DeSoto Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 14 on a reduced boundary for the Hampton Road character code and the outreach and regulatory work needed before the commission's scheduled public hearing on Jan. 28, 2025.

What staff presented Director Renard Brewer and planning staff summarized the history and intent of the Hampton Road character-code initiative, said staff has run public meetings (three in December and one the prior Saturday, with two more scheduled on Jan. 16), and described an interactive online map residents can use to see current and proposed zoning for parcels within the reduced focus area. Staff said the reduced boundary narrows earlier, larger proposals to emphasize commercial corridors on Hampton Road and the Belt Line/Pleasant Run node while leaving the larger original boundary in place as a long-term vision.

Key technical and regulatory notes - Nonconforming parcels: Staff identified 21 parcels within the reduced focus area that would be nonconforming under the proposed zoning changes and said they are preparing targeted notices for owners and tenants. Staff cited a recently discovered procedural point in the city zoning ordinance that allows property owners to seek relief via the Zoning Board of Adjustment for certain rebuilding thresholds (Chapter 7, subsection 7.6 and Chapter 9, subsection 9.68), a factor staff said affects how they plan outreach. - Senate Bill 929: Staff said a state law (Senate Bill 929) requires specific notification language (14-point type minimum in a separate letter) when a property's zoning status could change to nonconforming; the city has amended its ordinance language and is preparing mailings to affected owners and tenants. - Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): Staff reviewed how ADUs are treated in DeSoto: in the largest residential districts ADUs are allowed by right; in most other single-family districts they require a Specific Use Permit (SUP) with Planning & Zoning recommendation and council approval. Within the new Hampton Road form-based districts, ADU rules differ by district; staff displayed a district-by-district summary in the presentation.

What the reduced boundary would do Staff said the reduced boundary focuses on five form-based districts intended to encourage mixed-use commercial development, walkability and a 'live-work-play' environment: Urban Center, Urban General, Neighborhood Services, Urban Neighborhood and Neighborhood Transition. Examples and discouraged uses were shown for each district (for example, Urban Center would encourage mixed-use and discourage low-density residential and drive-throughs).

Economic development perspective Matt (economic development director) attended and said developers have been waiting for clarity on the rezoning and that a reduced, predictable boundary improves the city's ability to recruit investment. Staff noted they had met with more than 40 developers last year and that some developers want certainty about the rezoning before committing capital.

Public-engagement timeline and next steps Staff reiterated the commission's workshop and public meeting schedule: additional public meetings were planned for Jan. 16 (morning and evening); the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025; if P&Z recommends approval, the matter would go to city council for consideration on Feb. 18, 2025. Staff also demonstrated the interactive Hampton Road map and showed how residents can click parcels to see current and proposed zoning classifications.

Commissioner questions and themes Commissioners asked about: the meaning of 'third place' in the planning presentation (staff said it refers to public, social spaces outside home and work); how the reduced boundary affects the larger 2022 vision and TIRZ (staff said the wider vision remains but the reduced boundary is the initial, focused target for commercial redevelopment); concerns about parking and how residential-over-retail uses can affect the daytime economy; whether incentives or economic-development tools could support particular housing types (staff said certain city incentives could be considered under Chapter 380 agreements, though development corporation funds are limited by statute and cannot fund residential construction directly); and traffic/street changes (staff said roadway modifications such as lane reductions are part of streetscape planning and traffic studies, but those are separate engineering decisions).

Why it matters Staff said the reduced map is intended to concentrate initial redevelopment on the commercial corridors where higher density, mixed use and pedestrian-friendly design are most appropriate, while preserving the broader long-term vision. The changes could affect future redevelopment options for roughly 147 parcels in the focus area and would shape how the city markets Hampton Road to potential retailers and developers.

Public notices and resident resources Staff said notices required by state law and local ordinance are being prepared. The planning team provided a web walkthrough of an interactive map on the city's website that allows parcel-level inspection of current and proposed zoning. Staff invited commissioners and residents to upcoming public sessions and encouraged commissioners to review the character-code materials in the official meeting packet ahead of the Jan. 28 hearing.

(Reported from the Jan. 14, 2025 meeting of the DeSoto Planning and Zoning Commission.)