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Council debates Title 10 zoning changes, guest‑house limits and multifamily cap
Summary
Council members discussed proposed Title 10 amendments that would remove the protective zone in favor of a single residential zone with a 1.06‑acre minimum, keep a 1,000‑square‑foot guest‑house cap while limiting first-floor area to 650 square feet, and set a 3% cap on multifamily housing; members and residents debated property rights, tax-base impacts and service needs.
Council Member Chris Anderson outlined proposed changes to Title 10 at the Feb. 17 joint work meeting, saying the ordinance would eliminate the current protective zone and return the city to a single residential zone with a 1.06‑acre minimum lot size for new homes.
Anderson described other specific limits staff and Planning and Zoning recommended: a 1,000‑square‑foot maximum for guest houses while capping first‑floor area at 650 square feet so accessory structures do not overpower historic homes, and a 3% cap on multifamily housing units.
Council Member Courtney Syme urged careful consideration of facts and evidence because the changes would affect property rights. "Consideration of facts and evidence needed to be looked at because this will affect people's property rights," Syme said. Michael Broadbent said the changes support the city's General Plan.
Resident Kristen Mortensen argued for more tailored zoning rather than "one-size-fits-all," suggesting smaller‑lot options around the school and highlighting that adding housing affects service demands. Mayor Paul Penrod said adding 100 new homes would increase the tax base by roughly $30,000 but also would likely require additional services, including a second police officer and more utility hookups.
Council members agreed further analysis and community discussion are needed before adopting major changes to Title 10.
Next steps: staff and Planning and Zoning will continue to refine amendment language and consider geographic approaches to density and land-use categories.
