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Council weighs density and height bonuses for projects with on-site affordable units
Summary
Staff proposed a 20% density bonus (30% for deeper affordability), lot-coverage and potential one-story/15-foot height allowances for qualifying projects at council discretion; council asked for maps showing which parcels could be eligible and highlighted Old Town/downtown exclusions.
Council discussed incentives intended to make on-site affordable housing more feasible for developers, including density bonuses, lot-coverage increases and limited height allowances. Staff proposed a base 20% density bonus and an enhanced 30% bonus for projects that provide deeper or 100% on-site affordability, and said such bonuses would be considered alongside neighborhood-compatibility, traffic and utility review.
Jeff Hirt explained the mechanics with an example: "if you look at a project that currently has a 100 units entitled by zoning... the unit count would go up to 120," and staff illustrated how a developer could deliver additional affordable units while increasing market-rate units under the bonus. Council members requested maps that identify where the height and density incentives could apply, and staff said the Old Town Overlay and the downtown core would be excluded from height increases as written in the proposal.
