On Dec. 1 the Planning, Housing and Parks Committee voted 2‑to‑1 to refer Zoning Text Amendment 25-12 to the full council. The amendment implements parts of the University Boulevard corridor master plan by creating a new overlay zone with tailored uses and development standards.

Council staff reviewed ZTA 25-12 and identified substantive items including allowed uses, prohibited auto-centric uses (filling stations, auto repair, drive-through), and development standards intended to pull buildings closer to the street (10-foot build-to for sites larger than 15,000 square feet) and require on-site parking behind the front building line. The staff memo and planning board recommended two technical edits: change "35% lot coverage" to "site coverage" and specify the 'duplex side' building type for small sites to ensure neighborhood compatibility.

A notable policy addition was a workforce-housing requirement sponsored by Chair Friesen and Council Member Fanny Gonzalez. The amendment requires that developments of three or more units include at least 15% workforce housing units, with a minimum of one workforce unit; county practice will tie issuance of building permits to a written agreement with DHCA consistent with Chapter 25 workforce-housing rules. "An applicant must provide at least 15% workforce housing units...DPS may not issue a building permit until a written agreement with the Department of Housing and Community Affairs has been reached," the amendment reads.

Council member Jeranda raised concerns about displacement and said he preferred a stronger trigger (for example, earlier workforce requirements on smaller conversions) but supported the amendment as an improvement over having no requirement. Montgomery Planning staff noted that the master plan itself includes a 15% MPDU recommendation; including the requirement in the overlay makes the standard consistent across the plan area and covers both CRN and CRT areas as intended by the planning board.

The committee approved the planning-board technical amendments and the workforce-housing amendment, then voted 2-1 to send the ZTA to full council for final consideration. Members said there may be additional fine-tuning at full council, including language to protect local businesses in the plan area on prohibited-uses lists.

The ZTA will be considered by the full council next; the committee asked staff to monitor plan approval by the district council and suggest any ZTA adjustments if needed.