Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Urbandale staff previews downtown zoning changes to implement June 2025 master plan
Summary
City staff previewed proposed downtown zoning text designed to implement Urbandale's comprehensive and downtown master plans, highlighting new build-to expectations, limits on residential parking and a proposal to remove minimum off-street parking for many nonresidential uses. A public open house is scheduled for tomorrow.
Rose, a city staff member leading the downtown zoning project, told the council the zoning work is intended to implement the city's vision in the comp plan and the downtown master plan, noting that the latter "was more recently adopted in June 2025." She framed the current effort as transforming policy goals into enforceable zoning text so private development can deliver a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use downtown.
The staff presentation outlined several regulatory departures from existing rules: building front lines ("build-to" zones) that pull buildings closer to the street, parking maximums instead of traditional minimums, and clarified frontage types to encourage active ground-floor uses. On the proposed parking approach, Rose said "we are suggesting that nonresidential uses would not have any minimum off street parking requirements." She cautioned that the change could produce legal nonconforming uses for existing auto-oriented businesses depending on final allowances.
