City examines retrofit rules for deep and shallow suburban lots to improve corridors

The project team presented two distinct suburban‑retrofit tests designed to guide code changes on Fargo's existing commercial corridors: one for deep lots (big boxes and plazas) and one for shallower, frontage‑oriented parcels such as parts of University Drive South.

Why it matters: Many of Fargo's older commercial corridors were developed in the 1960s–1990s pattern of large surface parking and low frontages; the Growth Plan and consultants say the LDC update is an opportunity to integrate desired redevelopment outcomes into by‑right rules rather than relying on conditional overlays.

Details: The deep‑lot test shows how a redeveloped plaza could reorganize circulation, cluster parking, add liner buildings or housing, and create safer pedestrian connections without expecting buildings to be pushed directly to arterial sidewalks. The shallow‑lot test for corridors like University Drive South focuses on repositioning parking, expanding permitted uses, buffering residential backyards and improving landscaping. Presenters and commissioners discussed tradeoffs for landscaping and snow storage: several participants emphasized that landscaping islands and medians improve summer shading and stormwater but raised how snow removal and storage should be accommodated in winter.

Participants noted that University Drive displays a mix of lot depths and gave the "Block" redevelopment as an example of a project that already aligns with retrofit goals. The team described the retrofit approach as incremental — changes will happen as individual parcels redevelop over years, not as immediate wholesale conversion.

No formal actions were taken. The retrofit tests will be shown in the upcoming workshops and materials posted online for public comment.