Consultants tell DeSoto commission the zoning code is 'outdated,' propose 186 targeted revisions and a unified development code

Wilson Kerr of Friese Nichols told the DeSoto Planning and Zoning Commission the firm’s five‑month diagnostic review found the city’s zoning and subdivision regulations are out of date and create uncertainty for applicants and staff. "the code is outdated. It needs to be modernized and and update the usability needs to be updated," Kerr said, and recommended consolidating zoning and subdivision rules into a unified development code to reduce redundancy and improve clarity.

Kerr said the diagnostic report identifies what should be addressed during a rewrite, including flexibility to support redevelopment and missing‑middle housing types such as townhomes and duplexes, updated parking and infrastructure standards, and clearer administrative procedures. The report lists about 156 recommended revisions to the zoning ordinance and about 30 to the subdivision regulations and includes an annotated outline of a new code organized into four articles. Kerr also noted recent state law changes such as the 30‑day shot clock for plats and discussed pros and cons of allowing administrative plat approvals as a tool to meet statutory timelines.

Staff and the consultant said the diagnostic is the first phase of a two‑phase process. The consultant will brief city council on August 4 and staff said the city has issued an RFP for the rewrite phase with responses expected by August 18. Commissioners asked for opportunities to provide written comments and for the matter to return for formal recommendation when draft code language is available; staff said any code changes would come back to the commission for review and action.