Fargo officials outline 2024 growth plan and land development code overhaul

Nicole Crutchfield, the city’s planning director, told the Fargo City Commission the three-part effort — a growth plan, an updated Land Development Code (LDC) and an incentives policy — is intended to align policy, regulation and targeted tools to guide future development.

"the work of the uh growth plan 24 the land development code and the incentives policy is really about balancing the quality of growth predictability and the public's expectations together," Crutchfield said, framing the update as a way to provide clearer expectations for developers, neighbors and staff. She said the growth plan sets the strategy (where and how to grow), the LDC is the regulatory mechanism that makes the strategy real, and incentives are optional, targeted tools to help projects provide long‑term public value.

Crutchfield told the commission consultants will be in town next week and staff has published a new public draft of the LDC. She said roughly 10–12 topic areas remain contentious and will require negotiation among stakeholders, including parking standards, signage, building form and group‑living uses. The city plans more stakeholder meetings, an open house and bimonthly "code connect" sessions led by consultants.

Commissioners praised the staff’s progress and emphasized the need for a clear timeline and metrics. Mayor Josh Bosch and several commissioners said they want the LDC work completed so the commission can focus on subsequent policy decisions, such as incentives and special assessments. The meeting closed with staff agreeing to return with a more detailed work plan after the consultants’ next visit.