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Council advances code change to allow modest additions for a small number of nonconforming homes
Summary
On first reading the council approved an ordinance allowing limited floor‑area increases (up to 1,000 sq ft as proposed) for a handful of single‑family homes that predate current zoning, with council citing aging‑in‑place benefits; the measure passed the first reading unanimously.
The council moved past first reading on Ordinance 807, which would amend the municipal code to permit limited floor‑area increases for certain legally established, nonconforming single‑family dwellings.
Staff explained the change stems from Planning Commission work and affects roughly six known properties, primarily in the central business (CBD) zone where detached single‑family homes had become prohibited by later zoning. A staff member said the amendment would allow an owner of a qualifying nonconforming single‑family dwelling to expand up to 1,000 square feet, excluding any portion of the dwelling built after a specified baseline date, while prohibiting the creation of new nonconformances.
Council members supported the change as a narrowly targeted, low‑impact way to let long‑term residents remodel and age in place. Members asked about why 1,000 square feet was chosen and whether detached accessory dwellings would be permitted; staff said the 1,000‑sq‑ft threshold reflected prior code language used in a different context and that detached single‑family units remain prohibited in the affected zones.
A council member moved and the council approved moving past first reading; there was no recorded opposition. Staff will continue the legislative process through the required subsequent readings and findings before final adoption.
