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Council questions staff's shift to 66% infill width standard; members seek case testing
Summary
Planning staff proposed requiring subdivided infill lots to be at least 66% of the average width of surrounding parcels (66.7% in code rounding). Several council members pressed staff about the change from an earlier 75% standard, citing neighborhood compatibility and affordable housing concerns.
Planning staff proposed a new methodology for minimum widths of subdivided infill lots: average the widths of neighboring parcels (two on either side and some across the street) and require new lots to be at least 66% of that average. Michael said the full methodology will appear in the zoning text and appealed to council for feedback ahead of Planning Commission review.
One council member pressed for explanation, saying he remembered a 25% deviation recommendation from planning (which corresponds to a 75% minimum) and asked why staff floated 66%. Michael said staff tested several cases and that, in practice, rounding in the code tends to produce similar outcomes between 66% and 75% in many situations. "We looked at several issues... that's how we landed where we landed," Michael said. Council members asked staff to identify any cases where the lower percentage would materially change an outcome and emphasized the need to balance neighborhood compatibility and housing affordability.
