Date: October 17, 2019
To: Members of the Planning Commission
From: Scott Tempel, City Planner
Title
Discussion on Planning Commission Work Plan
Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission discusses a work plan for future actions.
Summary Report:
Staff has been working with the Planning Commission over the past several months to outline opportunities to organize efforts to implement City goals. Commissioners provided their individual priorities for action, and staff has outlined amendments that could help further goals and the City’s strategic priorities. Both of these documents are attached.
Many commissioner comments involved updating the Comprehensive Plan. The 2020 budget did not allocate funds for hiring consultants to work on the Comp Plan. Initiation of a Comp Plan revision will most likely occur in 2021. This specific initiative is not currently identified in the City’s Strategic Plan as a priority for 2020. Strategic Plan objectives the Planning Commission could help further include “Grow and Maintain Affordable Housing” and Economic Development. The following broad categories of actions could have a positive impact on the cost of development as well as the timeline it takes to implement projects.
1. Simplify the code
2. Streamline the code
3. Modify or eliminate requirements discouraging development or not meeting community goals
4. Reduce development costs while balancing quality
5. Enable or encourage development
Simply stated, the cost of developing housing exceeds the amount moderate income residents can afford to pay, leaving developers with only the higher end market or deeply subsidized low-income projects. Certain regulations can add directly to development costs through required design and physical improvements. Other intangible costs follow the old adage that “time is money”. Decreasing complexity and uncertainty while increasing the speed and reliability of the development process can result in savings, which can decrease the cost of housing and can help attract investors and developers to the community. It can also facilitate the creation of more housing at all levels.
Some specific ways the LDC could be modified to more significantly further these goals are listed below:
• Allow Minor Subdivisions to be staff approved and permitted by Certificate of Survey rather than Final Plat (8.5.11)
• Remove section 5.1.2 (c) prohibiting issuance of building permits on outlots
• Allow major modifications to PUDs
• Allow consideration of cul-de-sacs beyond those allowed for special circumstances
Additional opportunities include:
• Remove/increase Building Area Ratio to allow more density
• Consider parking caps
• Remove affordable housing concentration restriction article 5.2.2 (b)
• Reduce subdivision fees for affordable housing projects
• Allow private streets with qualifications 5.2.3
• Revise all zones to allow for live-work and small maker facilities
• Add small scale apartments as principal use in R1 (4-8 units)
It should be noted that staff is working on potential text amendments to the Economic Development Floating Zone (ED-F) and anticipate the PC will review potential changes in 2020. The EQC is also coming forward with amendments to address Dark Sky concerns. Staff anticipates this will move forward early next year.
Financial Impacts:
Financial impacts to the City must be considered for each individual code change.
Tentative Timelines:
TBD. It is doubtful that all of these amendments could be pursued in 2020 given anticipated staff work load.