Commission refines community-character table; renames 'medium' category, adds 'moderate plus' and a TBD flag

The Planning Commission voted Thursday to amend the community-character table in the city's General Plan to clarify density ranges and add intermediate classifications.

Staff described the item as a cleanup to fill gaps between density designations (for example between two-acre and half-acre designations) and to correct a typographical error in the high-density residential entry. "So the high density residential, this is actually correctly 8 to 14 units per acre of land," staff said, noting the version before commissioners contained a typo.

Commission discussion focused on wording and clarity. Several commissioners suggested replacing the term "medium" with "moderate" and adding a "moderate plus" category (the commission adopted that change), and they directed staff to add a "TBD" (to be determined) marker for a semi‑rural line where an A1/A2 future zone might be created. Commissioner Gaussner moved the amendment with those changes, including the corrected 8–14 units per acre notation for high density; Commissioner Stokes seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.

Staff said the amended table will help future zoning conversations and that the General Plan remains a guiding document; further zone creation and implementing ordinances would be considered separately. The commission's edits were largely editorial and clarifying but intended to reduce ambiguity when zoning and future land-use decisions are considered.