Planning staff outlines Unified Development Code update process and early findings

City planning staff updated the Zoning Advisory Commission on the Unified Development Code (UDC) update process at the Feb. 5 meeting, reporting that the consultant has completed public engagement steps for phase 1 and is preparing a technical report.

Planner staff said the city collected about 300 survey responses and conducted stakeholder interviews, including meetings with engineers, architects and surveyors. Staff highlighted one survey question that asks whether zoning has prevented respondents from doing what they wanted, which the consultant viewed as particularly useful for identifying areas where code changes could remove barriers or clarify procedures.

Staff said the consultant will draft a technical analysis and that the project website (cityofdubuque.org/udcupdate) will be updated with survey results and the technical report. Staff encouraged continued feedback through the project website and said additional public-engagement opportunities will follow as the UDC update advances to subsequent phases.