Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planners debate green-space guidance in housing element
Summary
Committee members debated whether the comprehensive plan should name a specific green-space percentage or leave details for future zoning/ordinance work, with some proposing a recommended range (e.g., 10–20%).
Staff summarized the draft housing element and invited additions to seven proposed policies; members discussed where green-space requirements should be set and whether the comprehensive plan should include specific percentages.
Committee member (S2) warned that embedding a precise percentage in the plan could force frequent amendments: "If we put 20% in here and then the board says, no...we don't want to get hung up." Others recommended the plan recommend a range (for example, 10–20%) and leave exact percentages to the zoning and ordinance process, which is better suited for technical and site-specific standards.
Participants also discussed how higher-density development, mixed-use buildings and smaller lot sizes change expectations for accessible open space and the need to craft policy that guides, rather than strictly prescribes, future code changes.
