Garner planning commission unanimously backs ZTA‑24001 to revise multifamily and mixed‑use rules

The Garner Planning Commission voted 7–0 on Feb. 9 to recommend that the Town Council approve ZTA‑24001, a town‑initiated package of text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance intended to refine multifamily districts, encourage vertical mixed use and correct several technical inconsistencies.

Planning staff summarized the package as addressing three purpose groupings: distinguishing the MFA and MFB multifamily districts so that MFB becomes a more urban, vertical mixed‑use district while MFA remains oriented to lower, garden‑style multifamily; introducing live‑work units and artisan‑shop uses; and updating density, setback and dimensional standards. "MFB, being the more urban style and the MFA being your more traditional, what we've seen in Garner over the years, garden or shorter," the staff presenter said in outlining the intent to emphasize vertical mixed use in MFB and to allow limited ground‑floor nonresidential uses as part of that vertical mix.

Under the changes, live‑work units would be a new allowed use in…