SUBJECT:
Title
A Resolution of the Planning Commission of the Town of Erie Recommending that the Town Council Adopt an Ordinance Amending Chapters 6 and 7 of Title 10 of the Erie Municipal Code Removing Alternative Standards for Affordable Housing Projects
Body
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development
Department
PRESENTER(S): MJ Adams, AICP, Affordable Housing Manager
First Name Last Name, Title
TIME ESTIMATE: 30 minutes
only required for non-consent items
POLICY ISSUES:
Current provisions in the code, adopted in mid-2023, allow projects with 12% or more affordable units to have an administrative development review process. Zoning changes still require a public hearing. The Council will weigh the benefits of expedited/administrative development review against the ability for Planning Commission and/or Town Council to approve such projects.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommend the Planning Commission pass Resolution P25-07 recommending the Town Council adopt an ordinance amending the UDC to remove the alternative standards for affordable housing projects.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
In July 2023, the Town Council adopted changes to Municipal Code Title 10 Unified Development Code to allow alternative standards for affordable housing developments and administrative review and approval for eligible developments. Ordinance No. 017-2023 implemented changes to serve as initial efforts to adopt the Proposition 123 “fast track” requirements. Specifically, Chapter 6 amendments allowed alternative standards for affordable housing developments affecting density, lot size, setbacks, and alterative equivalent compliance opportunities. Chapter 7 amendments provided for administrative review under the existing minor subdivision and site plan review process. Chapter 11 amendments provided definitions for Affordable Housing and Area Median Income (AMI) as needed for the Chapters 6 and 7 amendments.
In March 2025, during a Town Council Study Session on the Comprehensive Plan and Affordable Housing, the Affordable Housing Division was directed to initiate the recission of Ordinance 017-2023. The Town Council expressed interest in working with the regional effort to evaluate opportunities for expedited review for affordable housing development, but that a new process should allow for review and approval by Council.
The proposed amendments remove the alternative standards and administrative review process for affordable housing projects. The definitions of Affordable Housing and Area Median Income (AMI) remain as defined in Ordinance 017-2023. The result of this action is that no new affordable housing developments will be approved under an expedited and/or administrative development review process until such time as the Council may pass a new ordinance.
COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Small Town Feel
ü Effective Governance
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Resolution P25-07
2. Draft Ordinance
3. Staff Report
4. Presentation
5. Ordinance No. 017-2023