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STAFF Memorandum <br />Zoning Code Update Initial Process Overview <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />To: Economic Development Commission <br />From: Ben Gozola, Assistant Director DCAD <br />Meeting Date: 11/06/19 <br /> <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Certainty and clarity are two of the main characteristics everyone wants from their community: certainty that land <br />can be used as desired if acquired, and clarity on the parameters of what can be done. Old zoning ordinances, like <br />the City’s current document, provides neither assurance to our current or prospective landowners. Staff intends to <br />rectify this problem over the next 12 to 18 months by initiating a zoning code rewrite project in early 2020. <br />WHY UNDERTAKE AN UPDATE <br />Having now worked with the existing City code for over a year, it’s become clear that the City has numerous reasons <br />to initiate an update of the zoning ordinance including but not limited to: <br />1. The current zoning regulations were initially adopted in 1977 and have not been substantially updated since <br />that time. The code must be revised to: <br />a. address current land use law and state statutes [i.e. nonconforming use standards, variance terms, <br />Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), etc], <br />b. remove obsolete language (i.e. “special” uses & “electronic amusement devices”), and <br />c. address problems with consistency between regulations. <br />d. Fill glaring holes such as the lack of an official board of adjustments and appeals. <br />2. The City recently adopted a revised Comprehensive Plan with new goals and policy statements to guide <br />development moving forward. The ordinance should be updated as needed to better reflect this new direction <br />for the City. <br />3. A new ordinance can incorporate current planning and design principals to achieve the city’s goals. <br />4. A new ordinances will establish zoning districts for the City’s new land use categories (i.e. mixed use regional), <br />and eliminate districts that have long been unused (i.e. MX-G? R-3BI?) <br />5. A new ordinance can be clear, concise, and user-friendly; aspects lacking in the current document. The use of <br />straight-forward language and appropriate illustrations & diagrams will convey a clear understanding of all <br />requirements to a reader.