Code covers many areas

City officials are hopeful the new development code will improve the city’s development process.

The new code is designed to allow for more creative designs of neighborhoods and an easier-to-understand and more predictable development process. Here’s a look at some of the issues the code will address:

¢ Affordable housing. The code will create two new residential zoning categories that allow for significantly smaller lots than are possible today. The code will allow single-family lots to be as small as 3,000 square feet, compared with the 7,000 square-foot minimum today. That essentially would double the number of homes allowed on an acre of ground. Planners and developers are hoping that will help control housing prices by making the cost of land a smaller part of the home’s overall price.

¢ Compatibility. The code calls for larger setback areas and more landscaping to buffer residential developments from nonresidential uses, such as shopping centers or industrial areas.

¢ Pedestrian access. The code will make pedestrian access a higher priority in developments. As a result of the new code, commissioners will consider new regulations that will require sidewalks be built on both sides of all new city streets.

Related content

¢ Notification. The new code will require developers to provide written notification to neighborhood associations when a site plan is proposed for the neighborhood.

¢ Home occupations. Currently, city ordinances do not allow any home occupation that employs a person who doesn’t live at the home. The new code will allow for some home occupations that employ one person who does not live at the home.

¢ Streamlining. The code will give planning staff members more authority to administratively approve parts of projects rather than making them go through the City Commission or Planning Commission. The most significant change would be that site plans – which show the size and location of buildings, roads, parking lots and other similar details – would be approved by planning staff members. Currently, city commissioners approve site plans.