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City Council adopts UDO text amendments, adds 20-foot buffer on small clear‑cutting
Summary
Council adopted text amendments to Chapter 30 of the Unified Development Ordinance, including a 20-foot buffer requirement for clear‑cutting on parcels of one acre or less, updated wireless tower standards and clarifications on drive-through uses in downtown zoning. The measure passed unanimously after staff presentation and council discussion.
The Fayetteville City Council unanimously adopted a package of text amendments to Chapter 30 (the Unified Development Ordinance) during its Dec. 9 meeting, including a new 20-foot buffer requirement for clear‑cutting on parcels of one acre or less.
Planning staff explained that the amendments are a mix of clarifications, state- and federally-driven updates and policy changes designed to improve clarity for applicants and to address community concerns. The package included: revising quorum calculations for the Historic Resources Commission to exclude vacant positions from quorum counts; incorporating updated aviation/hazard standards for wireless communications towers required by higher‑level regulations; clarifying permitted drive‑through uses in the Downtown‑2 zoning district; adding specialty eating establishments to the list of uses eligible for certain drive‑throughs; and a new clear‑cutting standard that requires landowners to leave a 20‑foot buffer on parcels of one acre or less.
Staff said the 20‑foot buffer is more restrictive than the current practice, under which property owners could clear trees to their property lines on small undeveloped lots. Councilmembers discussed the difference between a buffer required for undeveloped parcels (this amendment) and separate landscaping buffers required during formal development review.
No members of the public registered to speak during the public hearing on these text amendments, and the council moved to adopt the package by unanimous vote.
