Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Setbacks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council signals consensus for 20-foot setback option to address townhome parking and alley access
Summary
Councilors and staff debated whether to require or offer a voluntary 20-foot setback for townhomes to create off-street parking pads; planners said alley requirements apply only where units front arterial/collector streets and the item will go to planning commission for recommendation back to council.
The council revisited a continuing discussion about setbacks for townhomes, with staff and planners proposing a 20-foot setback to provide space for off-street parking pads that would accommodate typical trucks and provide additional storage. A planner explained that the city's alley-access requirements apply only when townhomes front arterial or collector streets; in many other cases townhomes can be front-loaded or rear-loaded. “With the code provision we're changing here…we have that 20 foot length to allow for that off street parking space,” the planner said.
Council members probed dimensions, driveway widths and turning radii, warning that a 20-foot pad could reduce usable green space and create circulation issues in narrow alleys. One council member said many garages being built are too small for average vehicles, noting developers often build compact-storage-oriented garages rather than ones that fit typical trucks. Another member said the market will dictate whether builders include garages and 1,500-square-foot lot products; staff said minimum lot sizes often are larger in practice.
Several council members expressed support for the 20-foot setback as a balance between livability and affordability, while acknowledging concerns about alley turning radii, curb placement, and lost yard space. Staff confirmed the item will go before the planning commission for a public hearing and a recommendation, and then return to council — with potential scheduling in May.
No formal ordinance vote occurred during the work session; the council’s direction was to advance the draft to the planning commission and to return with recommendations. Staff and planners will refine the language, especially around optional versus mandatory provisions and how the requirement would apply in alleys versus streets.
