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Panel outlines four-phase study and outreach plan for multifamily moratorium; public hearing set for October
Summary
Officials described a four-phase, 12-month plan to study a moratorium on multifamily development including a public listening session in October, stakeholder outreach and questionnaires, comprehensive-plan review in January–February, zoning amendments in March–April, and Board review by May–June; moratorium expires July 2026.
At a meeting where the panel considered old business, Speaker 2 introduced a proposed moratorium on acceptance, review, and approval of multifamily dwellings and asked Speaker 5 to present a schedule for study and review.
Speaker 5 (identified in the meeting exchange as Drew) outlined a four-phase plan intended to run about 12 months. “The first phase is the study phase,” Drew said, describing September through November as a period to gather facts and hold a public hearing at the October meeting followed by outreach in November and December to agencies and stakeholders (schools, traffic, public safety) to collect targeted information. Phase 2 would address comprehensive-plan review and possible amendments in January–February; Phase 3 would consider zoning-code amendments in March–April; and the final phase would seek Board of Aldermen review and action by May–June. The moratorium is scheduled to expire in July 2026.
Staff and commissioners discussed data collection. Speaker 7 asked where the commission would collect counts of existing and planned housing units by type; Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 said that inventory work has already begun and that staff will provide a breakdown of occupied and planned multifamily developments and map areas that could support new development.
Commissioners also debated the working definition of "multifamily." The panel discussed that, for some local uses, more than two attached units is treated as multifamily (three units sharing walls), while other local definitions commonly range from three to five units and at least one city uses five units. Speakers noted there is no single state statutory definition; the conversation indicated the local zoning code may need clarification or amendment during the zoning phase.
The panel emphasized outreach options beyond public meetings: staff will send questionnaires to agencies and stakeholder groups to solicit structured feedback, and the October session will be framed as an open listening session to gather public concerns and priorities that will inform later phases.
