Planning board to send split recommendation on co‑living to council; votes to remove 'boarding house' use

The Citizens Planning Board voted Oct. 22 to forward its prior, split recommendation on proposed co‑living housing code changes to City Council and separately approved removing the term "boarding house" from the municipal code.

Board members debated whether to adopt the state's apparent minimum threshold — allowing co‑living only on lots that permit six or more dwelling units — or to allow co‑living in all multifamily (RM) zones. After discussion, the board approved a motion to transmit the earlier tie vote and accompanying memo that documents both positions so Council will see the full deliberation. The board then approved a motion, 4–1, to remove the separate "boarding house" use from the code regardless of the density outcome.

Why it matters: the decision shapes where co‑living arrangements can be developed. Proponents argued that allowing co‑living in all RM zones is straightforward and avoids an arbitrary cutoff; opponents cautioned that making co‑living broadly allowable could produce higher densities in areas not intended for them if future density rules change.

Boardmember Isabelle Jones argued in favor of allowing co‑living in all RM zones, telling the board that "it would be simpler to have it be something that's allowable, like, regardless of how many apartment units... are on a lot" and that the six‑unit cutoff "seems arbitrary". Staff and other members noted that planning staff recommend allowing co‑living without a unit‑count restriction and that the board's recommendation — even if split — will inform Council.

The board's motion to remove the "boarding house" use was justified by members as a code‑simplification step; minutes record the vote as four in favor and one opposed. The board also instructed staff to include in the memo an explanation that removing the boarding‑house category could eliminate a small existing pathway for a particular form of smaller‑scale shared housing.

What happens next: The board will transmit the recorded positions and supporting memo to City Council for consideration. Council will make the final decision on whether to adopt the co‑living language and any density thresholds.

Quotations in this story come from the meeting transcript of the Oct. 22 Citizens Planning Board meeting.