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Midway planners propose tighter Main Street design rules to preserve character
Summary
City staff and council debated new Main Street commercial standards — including 70/30 impervious-surface/landscape limits, a 0.3 footprint cap, two-story/35-foot frontage limits, and façade step and fenestration rules — as tools to discourage demolition and ‘mansionization.’
Midway city staff laid out a package of potential zoning changes for Main Street on Thursday aimed at keeping new development in scale with the town’s historic character.
The staff presentation proposed limiting site impervious surface to 70% of a lot with a 30% minimum landscaped area, capping building footprint to a 0.3 ratio on some parcels, and restricting Main Street-facing elevations to two stories and a maximum of 35 feet. "The remaining 30% shall be landscape," the staff member said while describing the draft rule, adding the code will need to define acceptable landscape treatments.
Why it matters: Council members said the restrictions would help prevent large, hotel-like structures from replacing modest historic houses and urged rules that make preservation the more attractive option. Several council members argued developers will “maximize” whatever the code permits, so the city needs clear "safety rails" — both firm standards and a variance pathway for exceptional projects.
Council discussion focused on how to translate those goals into precise code language. Council member (S3) recommended an explicit maximum building-footprint percentage so small lots cannot be overbuilt; other members favored drafting sample vignettes or drawings to illustrate desired outcomes. Staff noted the example of South Hill’s larger open-space allotment as aspirational but warned the town’s small lots require different approaches.
Design details under consideration include a requirement that any front wall longer than 40 feet recess or step at least 10 feet, and minimum fenestration/architectural variety so long, flat walls do not present a monolithic Main Street face. "If this does step nicely, again, they could have come in with a straight wall all the way up," the staff member said of a recent project example.
Historic-preservation incentives also featured prominently. Staff proposed allowing increased density on parcels that preserve historic front structures and deed-restrict those buildings to remain visible; council members discussed tying any additional density to permanent affordable-housing deed restrictions rather than short-term requirements.
What’s next: Staff was asked to draft specific code language, example drawings and clear definitions (for instance whether a 0.3 ratio applies to footprint or total floor area) and return for additional review and public hearings. The discussion ended with council consensus to keep working on design-based rules that favor preservation over teardown.
