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Board backs ordinance to reduce pervious-surface requirements with xeriscape incentive
Summary
Belgrade Planning Board recommended Ordinance 2024-6 to reduce pervious-surface requirements (including a xeriscape incentive) after staff said the change would address developer concerns while retaining landscape-plan requirements; the motion passed 4–2 and will move to city council for readings and a public hearing.
The Belgrade Planning Board recommended that the city council adopt Ordinance 2024-6, a zoning text amendment that reduces certain pervious-surface requirements and offers an additional reduction when property owners use xeriscaping.
Brad Stein, senior planner, outlined the proposal: reduce the industrial district pervious requirement from 30% to 20% and allow an additional 5% reduction if 50% of required landscaping is xeriscaped and documented with a landscape plan from a registered landscape architect. For the commercial corridor the proposal would allow a 10% reduction if half of the landscaping is xeriscaped and supported by a plan.
"What the pervious is is the amount of open area allowing water to pass through and in our code, it's to be grassed and landscape areas," Brad said, describing the role of pervious area in stormwater infiltration and green space. The amendment also lists acceptable pervious paving systems and retention areas that can count toward pervious-area calculations.
Board discussion included concerns that large reductions could reduce guaranteed open space and create long-term stormwater or maintenance burdens if engineered retention systems fail. One member said the reductions represented significant changes after the city code was updated less than a year ago; others argued the changes are a reasonable response to developer feedback and water-pricing concerns and that xeriscaping reduces irrigation demand.
A motion to recommend the ordinance passed 4–2. Staff said the item will appear as a consent first reading at the next council meeting and that a public hearing is scheduled for the second city council meeting in November.
