Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission clarifies housing policy language to allow multifamily in appropriate locations
Summary
Commissioners recommended strengthening housing policies to ensure land‑use rules do not effectively prohibit multifamily housing, to reference state law compliance, and to identify appropriate locations and zoning mechanisms.
Commissioners reviewed housing policies and asked staff to make the language clearer and stronger where the plan currently ‘encourages’ rather than requires action. They focused in particular on policy language that now reads, "ensure land use regulation do not restrict multifamily in appropriate locations," asking for more specificity about what constitutes an "appropriate location" and an explicit reference to state law requirements.
The presenter noted the state requires that housing sections not have the effect of unlawfully prohibiting multifamily or manufactured housing; the Agency official recommended framing the policy "in accordance with state law" so the town’s planning and zoning changes cannot unintentionally contravene statutory requirements. Commissioners also suggested the plan could identify zones or parcels where multifamily should be allowed and include a crosswalk to zoning to ensure compliance and implementation.
