City Commissioners will consider a proposed zoning code amendment during their May 16 meeting.

They’ll consider the proposal on first reading and be asked to set a public hearing for June 6.

Commissioners adopted Title 17, the land development code in 2005 and it was been updated multiple times.

Over the last few years, city planned staff has received numerous inquiries from developers regarding multifamily dwellings within the C-2 general commercial zoning district.

City planning board OKs code change for multifamily housing

Currently, the code prohibits all residential uses in the C-2 district.

Planning staff is recommending a code revision to allow multifamily residential within the C-2 district.

In April, the city planning board voted to recommend approval of the code change.

City considering code amendment for multifamily housing

“This proposed code revision would diversify residential development opportunities, further encourage infill, and provide additional financial sources for commercial development projects,” according to the staff report. “Staff believes that the proposed revisions to the land use chapter of the code will have a positive impact on private sector development in the community.”

During the April planning board meeting, Tom Micuda, interim planning director, said that staff had been looking at making the change for about six months.

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He said under the current code, developers looking at multifamily projects would have to rezone the property from commercial to multifamily, which can take about four months and essentially reduce the property value since commercially zoned property is typically higher value than multifamily zoning.

“We saw it as a win-win before the state started tackling this issue,” Micuda told the board when asked if it was in response to land use zoning changes being considered at the Legislature this session.