Title
Work Session on Proposed Development Code Amendments (File LEG 18-00001)
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
No action is required. The Board may choose to provide comments on the proposed amendments to the City Commission.
BACKGROUND:
Planning Division staff and consultants have been working with the community to provide updates to the development standards within the Oregon City Municipal Code. The standards include a variety of topics such as additional housing opportunities recommended by an Equitable Housing Public Advisory Team as well as other changes which were reviewed by the Planning Commission. This work session item is meant to inform the HRB of the proposed code changes that relate to the work of the HRB.
As a whole, the amendments result in greater opportunities for housing, a reduction of regulations, streamlining of processes, increased clarity around existing standards, and are formatted to be easier to follow. This proposal does not include any changes to the adopted zoning map or any city-initiated construction or development.
The amendments include a general clean up of the City zoning code as well as substantive changes, mostly related to housing development. It will allow more uses in the base residential zones, inlcuding corner duplexes in single family residential zones, and internal conversions of single family homes . These new uses would be permitted in the historic overlay, and historic review by the Board would still apply. For example, if a designated structure in the McLoughlin Conservation District were prosped to be internally converted into a duplex with addition of a second entry, the new entry would be subject to historic review. If the design of the new entry met the Secretary of Interior Standards for alterations, it could be approved by staff. If it did not clearly meet the standards, the HRB would review it. If the new entry included any addition of square footage to the structure, the Board would review the proposal.
No changes are proposed to Chapter 17.40: Historic Overlay; however, Chapter 2.28: Historic Review Board, which governs the makeup and procedures of the HRB, is proposed to be amended to remove outdated sections. The appeals section of this chapter is proposed to be removed because it is redundant with Chatper 17.50 of the zoning code, which contains all prodecural items. Note that the $50 appeal fee, which has been codified in this chapter, would be removed from the code and reflected only on the Planning Fee schedule, which is adopted by resolution by the City Commission. This is consistent with all other Planning review fees. No fee changes are proposed at this time, and any future changes to Historic Review fees, including appeal fees, would first be reviewed by the Board. See attached document of the proposed changes to Chapter 2.28.
The City Commission has already held several hearings on these amendments, and additional hearings are scheduled for April 3rd and April 17th, 2019. The Board may choose to comment on the proposed changes as a Board, as individuals, or not at all.
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