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Planning commission approved motions supporting 100% affordable projects, asks staff to draft overlay zones
Summary
The planning commission approved two motions directing staff to facilitate 100% affordable projects and to prepare a proposal for affordable-housing overlay zones; steering committee members discussed mandatory vs. voluntary programs, FAR and fee-in-lieu options and requested clearer capacity accounting.
A planning commissioner told the steering committee that the planning commission approved two motions related to affordable housing and zoning: support for 100% affordable housing projects (targeting projects below 80% area median income) and a request that staff return with a proposal for affordable-housing overlay zones.
The planning commissioner (S6) said the motions aim to remove barriers for deeply affordable projects and asked staff to explore how an overlay could be applied to mixed-use and higher-density zones. "They did approve 2 motions related to 100% affordable housing projects below 80 and, request that staff come back with a proposal for affordable housing overlay zones," S6 reported.
Steering committee members debated whether overlay zones should be mandatory when paired with an upzone or remain voluntary with bonus density incentives. Council and committee members raised legal and practical concerns about mandating affordability on landowners who receive additional density. Options discussed included FAR-based flexibility, mandatory requirements for larger projects with a fee-in-lieu option for smaller parcels, and targeted approaches that attach affordability requirements to specific upzones (S4, S5, S6).
Why it matters: The motions could materially affect how capacity created by rezones counts toward state housing goals and whether new units are likely to be affordable or market-rate. Members requested staff and consultants to return with analysis showing how bonus density, mandatory programs and overlay zones would change capacity counts and funding implications.
Next steps: Staff was asked to return with a proposal for affordable-housing overlay zones and implementation options; the steering committee flagged this as a follow-up item for the coming weeks.
