Hugo council adopts repeal-and-replace of Chapter 90, approves multifamily design guidelines

The Hugo City Council on July 6 adopted Ordinance 2026-549, repealing and replacing Chapter 90 of the city code to update the city’s zoning and land-use regulations and approved accompanying multifamily design guidelines.

Planner Kendra Lindahl told the council the change is the culmination of a two-year effort to reorganize and modernize the code. “It is a repeal and replace of the zoning and land use chapter 90 of the city code,” Lindahl said, noting outreach with developers and a Planning Commission recommendation in favor of the package.

Key changes include creation of a new R3 single- and two-family residential district that allows smaller lot sizes by right (intended to reduce the need for PUDs), reclassification of the old CR3 into R3 and renaming the prior R3 to R2, elimination and reclassification of a Neighborhood Service District into C1 or C2, and updates to the zoning map to reflect those changes. Lindahl said reclassifying many properties will bring them out of noncompliance with current standards.

The council also accepted updated multifamily design guidelines that apply to townhomes and apartment buildings (not single-family or twin homes). The guidelines include higher exterior finish standards and design elements for larger buildings, an incentive framework to favor smaller buildings (fewer than 19 units), and a parking expectation that at least half of required parking for larger buildings should be provided underground.

Councilmembers moved to adopt the ordinance and conducted a roll-call vote; the ayes carried and the ordinance was approved. The council then adopted a summary ordinance for publication (a supermajority requirement) and approved the multifamily design guidelines.

The ordinance and guidelines are intended to implement parts of the city’s comprehensive plan and to provide clearer development expectations for future rezonings and planned-unit developments. Officials said the updates aim to make the code easier to read and to help homeowners and developers understand allowable uses and design expectations.

The ordinance will be published in summary as required by council action; staff and planning officials will proceed with implementation steps tied to the updated code and design guidelines.