Jackson City Council considered multiple zoning text amendments Dec. 1 that would reshape how the city regulates residential districts and signs.

Staff presented an ordinance to consolidate several residential categories into three new districts: R1 for single-family, R2 for duplex/two-family, and R3 for multifamily, replacing older RS and RG labels. "So that's what the new classes will be," staff said, describing the goal as streamlining the code and simplifying administration. The staff presentation noted the change keeps protections created in areas that previously down-zoned and that the mapping of old to new districts preserves those local decisions.

Council also considered moving sign regulations into Title 14 (the zoning and land use control chapter) from the building code. Staff said planning handles the bulk of sign review and that shifting sign rules into zoning would improve clarity. The proposed sign code addresses abandoned and obsolete signs, allows an amortization period for prohibited signs, and provides enforcement tools including property liens for removal. Staff described a 7-year amortization period for signs made nonconforming by the new rules and a 30-month vacancy threshold that can cause signage to be removed earlier if a use lapses.

Councilors asked whether amortization would operate retroactively for businesses that had already closed; staff clarified that abandoned or vacant signs already counted as "abandoned or obsolete" and that the amortization clock applies to nonconforming but active uses. "If it's abandoned now, their time starts ticking," staff said; staff also said the city has begun an inventory of signs that are obsolete or abandoned.

Separately, staff proposed deleting an SC1 district-specific parking standard (five spaces per 1,000 square feet) to align with the city's broader removal of minimum parking standards; staff described that change as a cleanup item.

What happens next: These ordinance text amendments require the normal public-notice and adoption process (readings and public hearings); the transcript records explanation and discussion but does not include final adoption votes.