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Planning commission previews narrow 'R1A' Oldtown residential zoning to encourage modest infill
Summary
City staff proposed a geographically limited R1A zoning district for Oldtown to permit duplexes and twin homes and modestly reduce lot and setback standards to spur infill while preserving neighborhood character; commissioners asked staff to refine impervious-cover, accessory-structure and design rules and return with data and a redline for council review.
City of Victoria planning staff presented a proposal to create an "Oldtown Residential" overlay called R1A that would allow limited infill development — including duplexes and twin homes — in a defined area south of Highway 5 along Victoria Drive.
Associate Planner Travis Briley told the commission the item grows out of a recent application that could not meet the city's R1 standards. "There are no decisions to be made tonight, just feedback for staff," Briley said, describing a process that will return a revised ordinance to the commission and then to the city council for a public hearing and action.
Staff described the core technical changes in the draft: reduce minimum lot area from about 12,000 square feet under R1 to roughly 9,100 square feet for R1A (corner lots and some interior configurations vary), shrink front and rear setbacks from 30 feet to 25 feet, retain a 10-foot sideyard setback and keep a 35% impervious-cover cap for most parcels (25% on shoreland parcels). Briley summarized the housing consequences: "The R1A would allow for duplexes," and the zoning would explicitly allow twin homes (two attached single-family lots) while preserving single-family character.
Commissioners pressed staff on multiple implementation details. Several asked staff to audit existing impervious-cover levels in the study area, warning that a 35% cap on smaller lots may discourage owners from demolishing and rebuilding. Briley agreed to return with data on current impervious percentages and parcel depths to inform adjustments.
Accessory uses and garages drew sustained attention. Staff proposed limiting accessory structure footprint so it does not exceed the principal dwelling and setting a 2,000-square-foot cap as a hard maximum; commissioners suggested considering a proportional limit (for example, a percentage of the house foundation) to avoid large detached or attached garages that would dwarf modest homes. Staff also proposed a 10-foot maximum garage door height for the R1A but said that can be revisited.
On design controls, commissioners sought objective tools to protect neighborhood character — tree preservation, limiting new access points from Victoria Drive and similar measures — while recognizing legal limits on imposing subjective architectural rules. Briley said staff is drafting an "anti-monotony" package and will consult the council before pursuing formal historic-district protections, which he said require additional legal work.
No formal vote was taken on the R1A. Staff committed to: analyze impervious-cover distributions and parcel-specific feasibility; refine accessory-structure and garage language (including possible proportional limits); draft anti-monotony design language; and return with a redline draft and a recommended schedule for council review and a public hearing.
What happens next: the commission will receive revised ordinance language and supporting data in upcoming meetings; if the commission forwards the draft, the council will decide whether to set a public hearing and adopt the zoning change.
