Town Council initiates zoning amendment to clarify HDRB setback authority

A staff member told the Historic District Review Board that Town Council voted in August to initiate a zoning ordinance amendment that would clarify existing language and affirm the board’s ability to grant setback reductions in certain cases.

“Town council voted to initiate the zoning ordinance tax amendment that is focused on clarifying the existing language, giving this board, the ability to grant setback reductions and also, asking greater setback reductions that can be granted by this board, when it's appropriate, for consistency in massing and along the streetscape,” the staff member said. The staff member said the amendment will go to the Planning Commission in October for further review.

Why it matters: the change seeks to make the review board’s authority on setbacks and consistency in streetscape massing clearer in the zoning ordinance; the item remains at the ordinance-initiation stage and will be considered by the Planning Commission before any ordinance is adopted.