Developer urges narrower units and taller buildings to lower housing costs; commission weighs trade-offs

Joshua (Josh) Flake of JL Construction told the commission that minimum building-width and garage requirements are obstacles to more-affordable townhomes and apartments. Flake proposed reducing the code's 24-foot minimum building width to about 20–22 feet and allowing single-car garages instead of the current 18-by-18-foot garage per unit, saying those changes would reduce per-unit costs (Flake cited a reduction from about $350,000 to roughly $300,000 per unit).

Flake also advocated permitting three-story apartment buildings (about 45 feet) to bring down per-unit costs. City Administrator Dennis Marker told the commission the existing 35-foot height limit is tied to the fire department's lack of a ladder truck, indicating that a taller limit would have public-safety implications unless equipment or response capabilities change.

On storage, commissioners discussed the current requirement that units in developments of five or more provide 60 square feet of storage; Flake suggested exempting communities governed by a homeowners association from that requirement.

Flake described a "horizontal mixed-use" concept for the 20-acre former elementary school property that would combine offices, townhomes and apartments. Commissioners expressed a preference for creating a special zone specific to that parcel rather than adopting broad, citywide code changes.

The commission discussed trade-offs among affordability, building form and public-safety constraints but took no formal action on these multi-family proposals during the meeting.