Minnetonka staff present zoning rewrite progress, regional survey and public-opinion findings

Minnetonka planning staff briefed the City Council study session on Sept. 15 about progress on a zoning ordinance rewrite, results from a 65-city outreach effort and two local public‑engagement efforts—including a statistically projectable phone survey of 300 residents.

Susan Thomas, city planner, said staff contacted planning counterparts in the state's 65 largest cities to learn what other jurisdictions are doing. "We had 63 of 65 cities respond," Thomas said, and she reported that 45 of the respondents were updating or had recently updated their zoning ordinances and that 50 reported changes intended to allow additional housing construction or affordability.

Thomas summarized common code changes other cities are pursuing: allowing greater housing-type diversity (ADUs, duplexes, townhomes), adjusting zoning district restrictions (lot sizes and setbacks), reducing parking requirements, and using incentives to encourage affordable development. She told the council that only 13 of the surveyed cities reported formal inclusionary housing requirements, concentrated in the west metro, and that other cities rely on funding tools and incentives (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency grants, Met Council or county resources, tax increment financing).

Peter Leatherman, the city's public-opinion researcher, presented a separate, statistically projectable survey of Minnetonka residents (300 randomly selected interviews, ±5.8%). That survey found notable support for allowing more housing types: 40% said there are too few accessory dwelling units, 43% said there are too few duplex/twin homes, and 50% said there are too few triplex/quads. Leatherman said 53% of respondents supported reducing minimum lot sizes in some areas (with a preference for applying changes to certain locations rather than citywide).

The phone survey indicated most respondents already walk or bike to smaller commercial areas (44%) and 62% said they would be likely to do so if a small commercial area was located near their home. Leatherman said 44% were aware Minnetonka currently requires new multi-unit developments to include some affordable housing; when told about the requirement two-thirds said it was a good idea.

Staff previewed draft framing for the zoning code rewrite: a consolidation of roughly a dozen-plus zoning districts into four broad categories (low-, medium- and high-density residential and village-center districts), clearer plain-language definitions, and proposals to permit ADUs and duplexes in low-density districts and to allow certain accessory non-residential uses in apartment buildings. Thomas said lot standards (width, area, setbacks, height) may be reorganized into a single, clearer section but will require technical study because changes affect infrastructure and services.

Council members asked about sample composition, neighborhood-level concerns, NIMBY effects, and whether younger residents and renters were sufficiently represented; staff said the statistically projectable survey corrected for self-selection and that the Minnetonka Matters (self-selected) survey reached engaged property owners. Staff also discussed visualization tools (photos, video, potential 'walk-through' simulations) to help residents understand the impact of setback and lot-size changes.

Thomas said consultants will next synthesize work-group input and that the city does not yet have draft ordinance language; staff projected that written draft language could appear in roughly six months with public hearings and council consideration possible by next fall.

Staff will continue public engagement—targeting multifamily residents, younger adults and business stakeholders—before formal code language is drafted and scheduled for planning commission and council hearings.