Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Density topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Proposal would consolidate residential zones and raise minimum multifamily densities
Summary
Staff proposed collapsing five current residential zones into three new R zones and increasing minimum multifamily densities (example: R24 proposed at 18–24 units/acre) while exempting existing small lots under 20,000 sq ft from new minimums.
At the July 30 work session, consultant Elizabeth Decker and staff detailed a proposed simplification of the county’s residential zoning structure, consolidating five residential districts into three R zones to reduce overlap and focus on multifamily development. Decker said the consolidation is intended to make multifamily permitting clearer and to help reach the county’s multifamily capacity goals.
Decker described proposed density bands (for example, R24 at 18–24 units per acre) and a small‑lot exception that would exempt existing lots under 20,000 square feet from the new minimum-density requirement so smaller infill projects remain feasible. "We're proposing an exception for smaller lots... existing lots as of when the ordinance is adopted that are under 20,000 square feet would be exempt from the new minimum density," Decker said. Commissioners asked for additional examples and mapping to see where the new bands would apply in practice and requested more detailed capacity calculations for corridors such as Highway 99.
