Commissioners debate preserving older neighborhoods vs. streamlining residential zoning

Commissioners spent substantial time comparing the UDCs Neighborhood Conservation and General Residential zoning districts and asked staff to produce a clear crosswalk between the old and new district names.

Travis told the commission the Neighborhood Conservation district is intended to "fit the character of the existing neighborhood" by using the average block-face to set front-yard setbacks and other standards. By contrast, the General Residential district applies fixed new-development standards more suitable to subdivisions.

Councilmember Philip Lipoma and others argued the maps and legend must be readable so residents know whether a particular lot will be treated as an older established block or a new-build parcel. Some commissioners favored consolidating the two yellows on the map to simplify public understanding; staff cautioned that consolidation would remove specific infill protections and make it harder to preserve existing neighborhood character. Commissioners asked staff to draft amendment language that preserves neighborhood-character protections while simplifying terminology and to suggest a new label (examples discussed included "Established Residential").

No formal decision was made; staff will prepare draft ordinance text and a printed crosswalk showing direct correlations between former zoning labels (e.g., high-density residential, manufactured-home park, small-lot residential) and the new UDC districts.