City planning holds public hearing on state-mandated housing-progress report; staff outlines zoning reforms and next steps

Planning staff led a public hearing required by state legislation to document South Bend’s progress in removing barriers to housing. Tim Parker, Tim Staub and Michael Davida described zoning-code reforms (a U2 district to permit small multifamily/missing-middle housing, ADUs allowed by right citywide, contextual setbacks), permit-speed metrics (many two‑unit and compliant permits approved quickly, apartment zoning approvals within seven days in many cases) and city programs (infrastructure assistance, sewer-lateral reimbursement, preapproved plans that delivered 91 units to date, and 171 parcels/28 acres transferred since 2020 to support housing).

Staff identified several additional candidate actions: adopt neighborhood-plan land-use maps to expand U2 where appropriate, consider removing owner‑occupancy rules for ADUs, allow duplexes by right in additional districts, relax minor development standards in specific contexts, and explore state-level building-code reforms that would reduce costs for small multiplexes.

Multiple developers and neighborhood representatives spoke in support of continuing reforms. A local builder said simplifying water and sewer hookup rules and permitting alternative water-line materials would reduce costs. Near Northwest neighborhood and affordable‑housing advocates supported missing‑middle housing and adaptive reuse as ways to add neighborhood population without sprawl.

Staff said the minutes of the hearing and a staff progress report will be appended to the state report the city must file later this year and that staff will return with draft proposals as council and neighborhood consensus develops.