Lander council opens first reading of sweeping zoning rewrite amid hours of public comment

The Lander City Council on first reading approved a comprehensive rewrite of the city's zoning code, setting in motion a process that city officials and the Planning Commission say is intended to expand housing choices while opponents warned it would change neighborhood character.

Mayor Richardson opened a public hearing on Ordinance 2024-8, which would repeal and replace the city's Title 4 zoning code with a new Planning and Zoning title. Planning Commission volunteer Zach summarized the proposal, saying the package reduces setbacks and some off-street parking requirements, increases allowable building heights and the number of residential structures in some zones, and moves subdivision and design specifications into a separate resolution.

Why it matters: Supporters say the changes are intended to create more housing options in Lander and broaden the tax base for services. Opponents — including multiple long-time residents and at least one council member — said the plan would allow four-story or 45-foot buildings near single-family homes, reduce green space and parking, and concentrate the heaviest impacts in north-side R2/R3 neighborhoods.

Residents packed the council chambers and delivered more than an hour of public comment. Janelle Haner, an R3 resident, told the council she wanted any public vote to target only the neighborhoods affected and challenged the claim that densification would materially lower construction costs. "If you put it out to a vote to the people that it affects in R3 ... that affects them, not R1 and R2," she said.

Others who spoke echoed concerns about parking and fire safety. Judy Lersi, a long-time R1 resident, called the proposal "spot zoning" and urged that accessory-building limits be scaled to lot size rather than zone; she warned that a single required off-street parking space per unit would shift parking onto already constrained streets, aggravating snow removal and safety.

Planning Commission members and several councilors pushed back on what they described as misconceptions. A council member who reviewed Public Works data reported the city's water and sewer systems can serve a community of about 10,000 people and said modest residential growth could help fund overdue maintenance. Zach said the commission is open to targeted changes and invited specific amendments to setbacks, heights or parking before second reading.

Fire and building-code officials explained that sprinkler and construction requirements apply when buildings cross certain size thresholds (for example, four or more dwelling units may trigger building-code requirements for sprinklers) and that materials, eaves and rated construction options affect allowable proximity of structures.

Council action and next steps: Council approved the ordinance on first reading and emphasized this is the first of three readings; members said they expect to consider amendments between now and second reading. Planning staff said a revised zoning map and additional explanatory materials will be presented at later readings to resolve boundary discrepancies and to show where height or density changes would apply.

What to watch: The Planning Commission and council signaled they will review height limits and parking minimums before second reading. Residents asked the council to provide comparative data showing that similar code changes produced more-affordable housing in comparable rural towns, and some urged limits on short-term rentals so new housing serves year-round residents rather than visitors.

The city scheduled no final adoption at the meeting; the ordinance requires additional readings and possible amendments before it becomes law.