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Commission adopts Flexible Review District zoning amendment allowing smaller residential infill projects
Summary
The Planning Commission accepted a text amendment to create a Flexible Review District (FRD) in Chapter 151 to allow residential-only infill and annexed parcels to use a flexible, detailed-plan review path; commissioners discussed traffic-study thresholds and administrative workload before voting to approve.
The Planning Commission voted to accept a zoning-text amendment to Chapter 151 that creates a new Flexible Review District (FRD) intended to encourage innovative residential infill and annexation projects by allowing developers to submit detailed plans that set uses, densities, landscape and open-space requirements.
Planning staff said the FRD will provide "substantial flexibility" compared with base zoning while expecting development quality that "will surpass what is otherwise achievable through other base zoning districts." Staff also emphasized the FRD is aimed at residential uses only — not mixed commercial-residential projects — and that approval of an FRD in one location does not set automatic precedence for other locations.
Commissioners compared the FRD to a Planned Development (PD) and discussed the lack of a size requirement. One commissioner cautioned that the proposed wording "puts a lot more responsibility administrative oversight on the planning development office," noting concerns about staff workload and procedural discretion. The commission also asked whether traffic studies would be required; staff said there are thresholds in the land-development regulations and that the requirement would be determined by what applicants submit and what the staff deems sufficient, with staff able to request additional studies if necessary.
A motion to accept the zoning-text amendment was moved and seconded and the commission voted to approve the request. The transcript shows the commission approved the request and indicated the item will follow the typical review path to City Council.
