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County zoning change allows limited workforce housing on corridor lots; Somerset officials weigh local controls
Summary
A county zoning text amendment (ZTA 25‑02) permits multifamily workforce housing on certain corridor lots; town staff told the council only a handful of Somerset parcels appear eligible and recommended asking the county to clarify lot‑consolidation rules while the town reviews local stormwater, parking and setback controls for small multifamily developments.
The council heard a legal review of county zoning text amendment ZTA 25‑02, which allows multifamily developments on designated corridor lots if at least 15% of units are deed‑restricted as workforce housing, and reduces height and setback limits for eligible parcels. Town legal advisor Speaker 9 told the council that, based on an initial map review, only a small number of Somerset lots—two on Wisconsin and a few on River Road—appear affected now.
Speaker 9 said the ZTA permits duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and apartment buildings provided the workforce requirement is met; height would increase to 40 feet in eligible areas and parking rules (for example, five on‑site spaces for a three‑unit building under county requirements) could put pressure on yards, stormwater capacity and green space. The town retains limited regulatory authority for developments of four units or fewer, Speaker 9 said, enabling local rules on stormwater and right‑of‑way that would still apply in some cases.
Council members questioned which specific parcels would be affected and whether narrow lots could physically accommodate required parking and floor‑area ratios. Speaker 3 raised a case of a long, narrow lot on Wisconsin (discussed as roughly 9,400 square feet in the conversation) and noted parking and FAR constraints could prevent a five‑unit layout. Speaker 9 recommended the council consider asking the county to clarify the ZTA’s lot‑consolidation language (currently allowing lateral consolidation of up to three lots) and to consider setting a square‑footage cap for consolidations so very large assemblages do not arise from three oversized lots.
Speaker 9 said the ZTA does not remove historic‑preservation requirements; applicants for work in historic districts would still have to comply with preservation rules. The legal advisor also flagged that eligibility for the county program could expand in the future and that municipalities can pursue targeted code language for stormwater and parking for up to four‑unit developments.
Next steps: the council asked staff to draft potential language for county clarifications and to circulate suggested local code amendments for council review.
