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Commission debates open‑space set‑asides, HOAs and how to track density
Summary
Commissioners questioned whether proportional open‑space requirements or density tracking better protect resources while enabling clustered housing. Some members warned that PUD set‑asides have historically led to HOA obligations and long‑term land removal from development.
Commissioners spent substantial time weighing the tradeoffs between an open‑space set‑aside and alternative ways to preserve natural resources while enabling limited clustering. One commissioner warned that "every time we do a PUD, not only do we then take a huge piece of land out of play, we also now set up a requirement for an HOA," and said that HOA arrangements can be "sticky" for future regulation.
Shaheen said one reason for an open‑space set‑aside is administrative clarity: recording conserved acreage on a plat is simpler than tracking density allocations across lots over time, as some other towns do. Commissioners asked staff to return with examples and with options for mechanisms that protect resources without imposing full HOAs or complex administration.
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