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Staff outlines two-phase ordinance rewrite to meet LD 1829 compliance and streamline code
Summary
City staff detailed a two-phase ordinance update: phase one focuses on technical housekeeping and state-law compliance tied to LD 1829 (housing/density) with planning board review scheduled for May 6 and council adoption targeted for June 15; phase two will tackle more complex policy issues with broader public engagement.
Staff member (Staff member) gave a progress update on a city-wide ordinance rewrite intended to clarify code, remove redundancies and align local ordinances with recent state changes.
On the time-sensitive topic of LD 1829 and its amendments, staff said, "these amendments related to that law have to be in place by July 1st of this summer," but noted a potential extension or 'fix-it' bill (LD 2173) is being tracked that could shift the deadline. Staff emphasized the municipal duty under LD 1829 is to allow higher density where an owner chooses within growth areas and when services exist, not to require construction.
Phase one is technical: renumbering, removing contradictory language, consolidating legal provisions into a new administration chapter, and moving board-of-appeals language so processes are easier to follow. Staff said they secured a $15,000 Housing Opportunity Program grant to support digital resources and expect planning board recommendations by May 6 and council adoption on June 15 if the schedule holds.
Phase two will address substantive policy gaps — for example, fire-protection, tree ordinances and other older chapters (some dating to the 1970s) that need careful public engagement and consultant support where required. Staff plans repeated outreach over the coming months and will form an ordinance committee to guide public participation.
