Commission reviews lot-size and density changes, including permitting fourplexes

Chris reviewed a package of proposed zoning changes intended to increase housing options and make denser housing feasible outside village centers. Items included permitting fourplexes in more districts (with noted forestry concerns), reducing minimum lot sizes in village, commercial and low-density residential districts and revising frontage and setback standards that determine density calculations.

"We have talked about supporting this. Would like to revisit the question of allowing fourplexes in all of the zoning districts," Chris said while noting feedback from regional and state forestry agencies flagged environmental concerns in forestry zones. Commissioners discussed how lot-size reductions already implemented in village centers (for example, reducing the village-center minimum from 0.25 acre toward no minimum lot size) interact with density calculations and with housing-incentive work the commission's smaller working groups are studying.

Commissioners asked staff to return with environmental impact clarifications for forestry and large rural parcels, and with concrete examples showing how smaller lot sizes and density recalculations would work in practice across different districts.

Next steps: staff will prepare supporting analysis on forestry impacts and bring example plats and density calculations to a future meeting for public review.