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Council adopts UDC exterior design, landscaping and billboard updates; new tree fee fund created
Summary
NorthlakeTown Council adopted amendments to the Unified Development Code to encourage masonry through a design point system, add a fee‑in‑lieu for tree planting to a dedicated landscaping fund, and tighten billboard placement near town limits, including increasing residential buffer to 1,000 feet.
At the Dec. 11 meeting council adopted a multi-part amendment to the Unified Development Code focused on exterior construction/design standards, landscaping/tree protections and sign (billboard) placement.
Nathan, a staff planner, briefed council on updates to section 9.5 (design element point system) that add points for materials such as masonry (to encourage rather than mandate use), clarify building‑articulation requirements, and raise point thresholds by building size. On landscaping the amendment explicitly recognizes Planning & Zoning's role in recommending alternative compliance and introduces a fee‑in‑lieu option with a dedicated fund for landscaping and beautification projects. On signage the amendment clarifies how the distance to town limits is measured and includes a fix to avoid opening corridors along limited‑access highways to billboard proliferation.
During the public hearing there were no speakers for or against. The mayor introduced an amendment to increase the minimum distance from residential zoning to billboard placement from 500 feet to 1,000 feet and to specify that any fee‑in‑lieu be deposited into a dedicated tree/landscaping fund. That motion passed unanimously 6–0.
Why it matters: the changes are designed to encourage higher-quality exterior design while remaining compliant with state preemption on building materials. The fee structure aims to ensure that money collected for missed tree planting goes to visible local landscaping projects rather than the general fund.
Next steps: staff will bring a fee schedule amendment to implement the fee‑in‑lieu amounts and will coordinate Planning & Zoning recommendations and public notices as the town integrates the UDC changes.
