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Durango eases townhome rules and standardizes permit notices; directs staff to study new City Hall parking
Summary
Council amended the land use code to allow townhomes in the Residential Medium zone without an impractical acreage minimum, standardized public‑notice and permitting procedures in Chapter 6, and directed a staff report on parking options for the new City Hall/PD campus.
Durango — The City Council on April 21 approved several land‑use and procedural code changes intended to promote housing flexibility and speed permitting, and directed staff to study parking options for the new City Hall–Police Department campus.
Community Development staff said the land‑use amendment removes an obstacle that effectively required a minimum 7‑acre parcel to build townhomes in many RM (residential medium) areas and changes the use table so townhomes are permitted rather than only allowed by special use permit. “There’s a real demand for townhome development,” Community Development staff said; the Community Development Commission recommended approval.
Council also approved text amendments to Chapter 6 (administration) to standardize public‑notice practices (consolidating publication and posted‑notice rules, setting a 14‑day posting period, consistent mailed‑notice radiuses and clarifying completeness as the trigger for review timelines). Staff said the changes reduce procedural errors and better reflect current electronic submittal practices.
Separately, council adopted a resolution directing the city manager to present options to meet parking needs for the new City Hall/PD campus — including alternatives that would free existing City Hall and police‑property parcels for sale — and asked staff to analyze potential solutions and tradeoffs.
Votes: The townhome code amendment and the Chapter 6 permitting revisions passed unanimously; the parking‑study resolution also passed by roll call.
Next steps: Planning staff said additional housing‑related code updates are planned; staff will return with a parking presentation that lays out options for required spaces and how to potentially monetize existing properties.
