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Planning staff outlines land-use code audit; gross vs net density and lot-size changes on the table
Summary
Staff presented Sunrise Engineering's land-use audit, highlighting a proposal to measure lot sizes by net area (e.g., 40,000 sq ft net) rather than gross acres, which could change allowable lot yields and require policy decisions on how to count constrained lands.
Andrew, the planning staff member leading the code audit, presented a set of items from Sunrise Engineering that the commission must clarify as the county rewrites its land-use code. He said the audit asks the commission to decide whether to measure lot size and density by gross acreage or by net lot area and explained how shifting to a net lot standard (for example, 40,000 sq ft net instead of 43,560) would affect subdivision yield calculations.
"So when you look at the density of a property, look at the gross density... however, there's the net lot size that may be different," Andrew said. Commissioners asked for examples and staff noted instances where rights-of-way dedication or constrained slopes reduce usable area and thus the net lot size, which could reduce permitted lots if the code changes.
Commissioners requested that Sunrise model net- vs-gross scenarios and incorporate the future land-use map so the commission can assess where smaller-lot categories might be appropriate. The commission voted to continue the discussion at a follow-up meeting and asked staff to return with recommended language for the rewrite.
