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Developers, staff urge new county-led zone to speed Cline Dolly affordable housing project
Summary
Developers and the county's community development director told the council that current code forces costly, construction-level work before rezoning and proposed a county-led 'new zone' and code text changes to lower upfront risk and fast-track affordable housing on the Cline Dolly parcel.
Developers and county staff gave a lengthy update on the Cline Dolly project and urged the council to change how the county handles rezonings for complex, county-partnered developments.
Tony, a developer on the project, told the council the current code “front loads a significant amount of cost, time, and risk” by requiring construction-level development applications before a rezoning for large projects. “We don't wanna spend money on it unless we know that we are actually producing something that meets the intent of the council's goals,” he said, arguing that the requirement discourages both private developers and county partnerships because of the up-front engineering and design expense.
Peter Barnes, the county's community development director, said the county lacks an existing zone that would accommodate the RFP-winning proposal and recommended drafting a new zone text that sets performance standards and allows schematic proof-of-concept rather than full construction documents. Barnes said a carefully written zone could show whether a parcel “meets the height, the setback, the usage, the bulk requirements” without requiring final engineering drawings.
Councilmembers pressed on trade-offs. Councilmember Roger warned about unintended growth and resource strain, including water, saying he wanted tighter geographic limits or restrictions so the new zone couldn't be applied “anywhere.” Chris, who chairs the subcommittee that handled the RFP, urged a pragmatic approach: create a zone and a process that reduces upfront risk so the county can keep negotiating with Columbus Pacific and other developers rather than losing projects.
Both Tony and Barnes said the proposed next steps are to draft the new zone text, update the exclusive right-to-negotiate agreement to remove contentious cost-sharing and appraisal requirements, and then process a rezone application, followed by site plan, subdivision plat and development agreement steps if the rezone is approved. Barnes told council staff would circulate the drafts and pursue planning commission review and public hearings.
The council did not take formal action at the meeting; staff said they will draft the text amendments and move ahead with the procedural steps if the council signals support.
