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Council questions $1.5 million UDO rewrite budget and scope of public engagement
Summary
Planning staff said consultants will help rewrite the city's Unified Development Ordinance and lead an engagement strategy; council members pushed for a clearer vision and questioned whether $1.5 million will produce substantive design changes rather than a recycled code rewrite.
Planning staff updated council on progress toward a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) rewrite that staff and consultants are preparing to test and pilot on targeted sites and that would be accompanied by a community engagement program.
Staff said consultants are assessing land‑use issues and testing proposed regulations to understand how new standards would function across different parts of the city. The project will include a community engagement strategy, outreach by region, surveys and a website; staff said kickoff is planned for the first week of June and noted the need to identify neighborhood character and prepare for growth tied to transit projects.
Council members pressed the scope and cost: one member asked why the city would pay up to $1.5 million to rewrite zoning if the result is a recycled version of existing rules. Planning staff said much of the budget is for community engagement and outreach — the staff time and consultant work needed to canvas neighborhoods and tailor regulations — and that some contingencies exist if additional engagement is required.
A council member asked how much of the $1.5 million is consultant fees; planning staff said the amount could be spent on project tasks and that purchase orders will encumber funds. Staff also said the consultants bring preservation architects, engineers and code experts and that local subcontractors would provide on‑the‑ground engagement.
No formal vote occurred on the UDO budget at the meeting; staff said they are forming an advisory group that will include professionals and community members to craft design guidelines and a city vision before drafting ordinances.
