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Staff outlines residential parcel‑frontage concerns in 2024 comprehensive plan update
Summary
Staff presented parcel‑frontage maps and argued that applying a single residential zoning district across diverse lot widths creates barriers to modest infill and property improvements; commissioners discussed alternative districting, stormwater and engineering review needs.
On May 7 staff presented maps from the 2024 comprehensive plan update showing parcel‑frontage patterns in the northwest quadrant and urged the commission to consider whether a single residential zoning district remains appropriate across varied lot widths.
Senior planner Don Doty displayed color‑coded maps showing parcel frontage and explained the city's current approach: a single residential zoning district requires uniform percentage‑based setbacks (12 percent of lot width) and a 15,000 square‑foot median minimum lot size. "When we apply this one district... they have to meet the same setback standards regardless of their width," Doty said, noting smaller lots between 50 and 75 feet are common in the area and can be constrained by the current formula for side‑yard setbacks.
Staff recommended evaluating whether multiple residential districts or adjusted setback calculations could help property owners pursue modest additions or garage improvements, and cautioned that stormwater, grading and infrastructure questions would need engineering review. Commissioners discussed engineering expertise for the board’s review, limiting residentialization of industrial areas, and potential impacts on affordability and lot usability.
The commission did not adopt policy changes at the meeting; staff sought direction on whether to pursue a zoning‑district approach and to prepare additional mapping and analysis for future meetings.
Doty said the maps illustrate a concentration of smaller lots that could benefit from tailored standards, and commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed proposals and engineering input.
