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Planning commission rejects request to always round up R‑1‑40 density rule, forwards recommendation to council
Summary
After hearing from an applicant who sought to change the code to ‘always round up’ density calculations, the Highland City Planning Commission voted to keep the 2022 policy that rounds down. The commission will forward its recommendation to city council in April.
The Highland City Planning Commission voted to keep the city’s current R‑1‑40 density rounding rule in place after hearing a request from a property owner to change the rule so it would always round up.
Staff planner Rob (planning staff) told the commission the applicant’s proposal would, at most, increase a subdivision by one lot in some cases and that staff had no recommendation one way or the other. He described the technical change as replacing the phrase “round down to the nearest whole number” with language that would “always round up.” Rob said the general plan does not clearly favor either approach but that the change could occasionally yield an extra lot in an R‑1‑40 subdivision.
The applicant, addressed in the meeting as Ty, told commissioners he had explored alternate options (consolidating adjacent parcels or changing lot‑size requirements) and said his preferred solution was the simple rounding change. Ty estimated six lots at roughly $800,000 apiece and said losing one lot could raise costs for the remaining lots and reduce permit revenue and tax base. “So, you eliminate one lot, and that’s obviously a deduction of $50 for you for the city to operate in, as well as the tax basis of that individual lot,” he said.
Several commissioners said they were concerned about setting a precedent after the commission and city council in 2022 adopted a standard of rounding down. One commissioner said the change would amount to “spot zoning” for a single parcel; another said the city should not alter a code change that had been deliberately agreed in 2022. One commissioner argued the change would add a rooftop and be congruent with surrounding lots.
Commissioner [Committee member] moved that the commission keep the current rounding rule (round down); the motion was seconded by [Committee member]. The motion passed by roll call, and staff said the item will be taken to the city council in April for final action.
The commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the city council for consideration; staff will notify the applicant and the council’s April meeting date.
