Land-use changes and housing approvals

One resident spoke about proposed land-use changes and housing approvals during citizen reports.

The resident said proposed changes would allow duplexes and urban lots by right in R-1, allow multiplexes and townhouses there after a neighborhood meeting despite not currently being allowed, and make other changes in R-2, affecting traffic, parking, neighborhood character and safety. The resident questioned whether the changes and their impacts had been clearly communicated to commissioners, whether commissioners understood them when they voted, and whether approval relied on a flawed or incomplete housing survey. The resident said the public had little meaningful involvement, outreach relied heavily on the development community and city staff, and a complete community perspective had not been presented to the commission.

The resident supported changes to streamline UDC housing approvals, saying faster, more predictable processes could reduce unnecessary barriers for builders and increase housing supply. The resident urged the commission to petition City Council to return the ordinance to the commission for reconsideration, and proposed dividing it into one measure for streamlined processes, to be approved as soon as possible, and a separate measure for land-use changes to be considered with robust community input. The resident also asked for prominent written notice to commissioners when land-use changes come before them.