Committee advances bill limiting ground‑floor commercial mandates in mixed‑use zones

Madam Chair’s local government committee on its last meeting of the session advanced engrossed second substitute Senate Bill 6,026 on a 5‑2 roll call, adopting a striking amendment that narrows where and how local governments may require ground‑floor commercial uses in commercial and mixed‑use zones.

The bill, as summarized by committee staff, would “prohibit certain local governments from excluding residential development from commercial and mixed use zones” and limit ground‑floor commercial and mixed‑use requirements, with a striking amendment that imposes several changes. Committee staff said the striker would cap ground‑floor commercial or mixed‑use mandates to no more than 40% of the total acreage zoned commercial or mixed‑use, exclude publicly subsidized affordable housing projects from such requirements, preserve local authority to set minimum densities, and extend the deadline for local compliance from one year to 18 months.

The striking amendment was the central focus of committee debate. Representative Stevie, who moved an amendment that would have raised the population threshold for cities subject to the bill from 30,000 to 40,000, argued “every city is unique” and urged more local control. Representative Partially opposed that population‑threshold change, saying many cities in the 30,000–40,000 range are “some of the fastest growing communities” and should be able to rely on uniform policy as they scale. The population‑threshold amendment (RIC 492) failed on a voice vote; the larger striking amendment was adopted on a subsequent voice vote.

The chair framed the adopted striker as an effort to balance housing production and local character. The amendment also contains a provision that any local government failing to meet the new limits within the 18‑month compliance window “would not be able to impose any ground floor commercial and mixed use requirements until it comes into compliance.” Committee staff noted the striker removes certain exemptions and clarifies which areas count as commercial or mixed‑use for the cap.

On final roll call the committee recorded five ayes and two nays and reported SB 6,026 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation. The transcript records the chair thanking staff for navigating what she described as “one of the most complicated bills” the committee has seen this session.

Next steps: the bill, as amended, will move forward in the legislative process with the committee’s due‑pass recommendation; the record does not specify floor scheduling or further amendments.