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City staff proposes a catalog of preapproved home plans to speed infill; commissioners ask legal and pricing safeguards
Summary
Planning staff proposed a voluntary catalog of preapproved residential designs to shorten approval times for small infill lots; commissioners welcomed the idea but asked staff to expand zoning scope, address historic district fit, potential price gouging for plan purchases and legal/purchasing options before proceeding.
City planning staff proposed a voluntary program to accelerate infill development by creating a catalog of preapproved 'off‑the‑shelf' site and building plans suitable for common lot dimensions in older neighborhoods.
Planning Director Kevin Freeman said the idea is to invite local architects to submit designs that would be reviewed by staff, the planning board and historic preservation board; once accepted, the plans would be available for applicants who want expedited planning and building review. "We're not saying do you have to do this... This is a choice. They can move through this choice, and the benefit of moving through this choice is they get a faster processing," Freeman said.
Commissioners broadly supported efforts to reduce permit timelines and incentivize infill but raised several concerns: Commissioner Broderick suggested expanding eligible zoning beyond R‑3/R‑4 to include R1/R2 and some commercial residential zones so the program covers more lots; Commissioner Johnson asked how to prevent a single architect from charging high fees for plan sales and whether the city could commission and own a catalog of designs. Commissioner Gaines urged legal review of whether the city can purchase or license approved plans and set standard costs.
Staff said the next steps include working with the city attorney, drafting an RFP, protecting pricing points in the procurement documents and ensuring community and board review of designs. No formal action was taken; staff will return with legal analysis and proposed procurement language.
