Council to postpone hearing on small, substandard lots

Based on a conversation at a work session Tuesday, it appears that City Council will postpone a public hearing on an ordinance that would limit the redevelopment of small, substandard lots. Though scheduled for Thursday’s Council meeting, Jerry Rusthoven of the Planning and Zoning Department told Council that staff plans to request postponement of the item until Dec. 17. According to backup documents, the postponement will allow additional time for the Planning Commission to review the ordinance. Hearing no objections from Council members, Mayor Steve Adler announced that he expects Council will grant the postponement request. “I want that to be known far and wide, if possible,” he said. According to backup documents, the ordinance would limit use of the city’s small-lot amnesty infill tool – which exists to allow development or redevelopment on substandard lots where it would have “otherwise been impossible” – so that the tool cannot be used to break sites down into smaller lots that do not meet current size requirements.