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Board flags 32‑foot height rule, view corridors and zoning as major constraints on density
Summary
Members identified local code limits — including a 32‑foot height standard in the basin set to preserve views and historical ladder‑reach rules — as concrete obstacles to building the low‑rise density the toolkit envisions.
During discussion about feasible density, Committee member (S7) and others raised building height and view‑corridor rules as binding constraints. "Candace just mentioned ... the 32 foot height in the basin was set to preserve views," one member said, and others connected that limit to an older assumption about floor heights and roof allowances.
Members noted that construction costs (seismic standards) and fire‑safety assumptions have pushed the practical ceiling for livable buildings lower in some places, often limiting feasible development to two or three stories without specific code changes. Several participants urged the authority to consider code updates or focused rezoning if the board wants to enable the missing‑middle building types described in the toolkit.
