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Planning commission approves South of Downtown PUD amendment to ease two‑family lot rules
Summary
The commission approved an amendment to the South of Downtown planned unit development to allow two‑family dwellings on smaller, older lots and to reduce minimum lot‑width requirements, a change proponents say will facilitate affordable infill housing.
The Lancaster County Planning Commission voted Dec. 3 to approve an amendment to the South of Downtown planned unit development that modifies lot standards to allow two‑family dwellings on older, smaller lots.
Ben Callahan of Planning and Development Services told the commission the amendment is a blanket change to lot standards in the large PUD (roughly 44 blocks south of the state capitol, between roughly 10th and 17th streets). He said the change was crafted to provide flexibility for older, subdivided lots and to allow structures previously used as two‑family dwellings to be brought into compliance.
Dylan Mermin, representing NeighborWorks Lincoln, testified in support. He said the amendment aligns with neighborhood‑stabilization goals, could unlock reinvestment in subdivided historic lots and help meet the city’s housing needs. "This proposed amendment is not only mission aligned with our goals of strengthening neighborhoods and expanding affordable housing opportunities, but also more broadly with the city of Lincoln's goals for redevelopment," Mermin said. He cited the city’s coordinated affordable housing plan and a projected need to add roughly 17,000 units over the next decade.
After public testimony and discussion, the commission moved to approve the change of zone and recorded the motion as approved in the meeting record; the transcript records the final vote as 8–0. The transcript does not include an explicit statement in the record about next legislative steps for this specific zone change beyond the public hearing process.
Supporters said the amendment could enable the reuse of existing housing stock and increase attainable ownership opportunities; commissioners noted parking and neighborhood context as considerations during discussion. No formal conditions or amendments were recorded beyond the staff‑proposed language.
The commission’s approval clears the way for the change to be implemented per standard administrative processes; interested parties may consult the full staff report for parcel‑level details.
