Staff reports Virginian/Penrose pause, LDR update timeline and community streets plan work

Planning staff updated the commission on several broader planning items July 15. Staff reported the town and county recently voted not to continue negotiating with developer Penrose on the Virginian project; a zoning amendment to NH1 was discussed that would allow a four-story option within narrowly defined criteria, but staff said the council did not adopt broad LDR changes at that meeting.

Staff also outlined four LDR update topics under review—habitable-basement counting for maximum building size, a 2-for-1 bonus option, third-story stepbacks, and short-term rental regulations—and said the next iteration of the package is scheduled for Aug. 17. Staff explained that counting habitable basement area against maximum building size would not change FAR treatment (basements would still be exempt from FAR) but could reduce above-ground floor area available under maximum building size calculations. The Community Streets Plan was described as a larger policy-level document that will be forwarded to the council; any resulting LDR updates would come back to commissions for review.

Staff framed these efforts as multi-step policy work: adoption of the plan or policy discussion by council would be followed by LDR code writing and public hearings, with LDR changes potentially becoming effective later in the year, depending on timing and readings.