Why Consider Changes to the T-Zones?

As part of City Council's amendments to special exceptions criteria in February 2021, Council asked Planning staff to develop zoning tools to facilitate the development of small residential projects on infill sites too small to support large commercial or mixed-use developments.

The Comprehensive Plan, small area plans, and the Council work plan all support a review of tools to achieve diverse housing.

Staff identified the T-Zones as candidates for zoning updates because of: 

• Their intent to serve as a transition between the higher and lower intensity zoning districts. 
• The challenges of redeveloping under the current code and the common practice of requesting rezoning to access the Special Exception process.
• The relatively limited development activity observed in T-Zones in comparison to the commercial) and residential zones. Limited reinvestment within T-Zones results in aesthetics, streetscape, and infrastructure that lags behind other areas and the land underperforms in providing community services.

Summary of Key Changes

1. Allowing townhouses and multifamily to increase housing options in the City
2. Allowing more neighborhood-serving retail
3. Allowing larger builders to encourage reinvestment, while controlling storm-water and transitioning to single family homes