ZCC Sends Proposed New Zoning Code to City Council

After four years of hard work and a civic engagement process that is unparalleled in other cities, the Zoning Code Commission voted 22 to 0 on May 11^th to send the Preliminary Report for a new zoning code to City Council.  Seven commission members abstained, including Councilmen Bill Green and Brian O’Neill who have proposed an amendment that would delay implementation of the new code in the 18 individual planning districts until zoning remapping is completed for that district – a process that is estimated to take at least five years.  As a result, the City would have two parallel working codes for an extended period of time.

 Although the required two-thirds vote was reached by a majority of members who believe the draft code is ready for City Council, the threat to derail the code’s progress remains.  A minority report was approved that will ensure the issue about when the code goes into effect is raised directly with Councilmembers.  City Council is expected to begin the hearing process on the new code before they recess in mid-June and continue hearings when they return in the Fall.  The goal is to obtain approval of a new code by the end of the year.

For more information, visit zoningmatters.org.