AO 2026-85 missing middle housing opportunity overlay
At a glance
- Oct 28: the Assembly held a work session on AO 2026-85 (Title 21) (video listed), ahead of the expected November 4 vote. Outcome not confirmed.
- What: AO 2026-85, the Assembly's missing middle housing opportunity (MHOP) overlay ordinance, which grew out of an earlier proposal the the Planning and Zoning Commission had heard. An S version with roughly 12 to 13 amendments was laid on the table at the Assembly.
- Where it stands: at the Oct 19 Commission meeting Jeff Ron asked whether the planning department helped write the S version (it did not, and the department said it had only just reviewed it) and whether the Commission has a role since the ordinance is no longer a Commission case. Staff is giving its views to the administration and may release a public memo; it was not sure yet.
- What's next: an Assembly work session on the S version and amendments is expected before the Nov 4 vote. Commissioners said a public staff summary would help. See also the seismic concerns raised on the Assembly side in AR 2026-304 seismic and natural hazards working group.
Notes
- Ron said the S version added a lot of detail that was not part of the ordinance at its public hearing, raising public process questions.
- Staff said the Assembly decides whether a changed measure goes back to the Commission, and that it generally recommends that big conceptual changes do.
Sources
- Video: 2026-10-19 - Planning and Zoning Commission (about 2:40:10 to 2:45:50)
Discussion time
About 6 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-19 - Planning and Zoning Commission | 6 |
Log
- 2026-10-28 - Assembly Worksession Meeting - October 28, 2026 - Housing - Second work session: reviewed amendments (lot coverage, map, setbacks and height, drainage, site plan review), the mayor's draft height and 10-foot front setback amendment, and the S version; no votes. On the November 4 agenda. (from auto-captions)
- 2026-11-04 - 2026-11-04 - Assembly Regular Meeting: postponed to a Nov 13 special meeting, reconsidered (12-0) and postponed to the Dec 1 regular meeting (12-0); sponsors plan another version.
- 2026-10-19 - 2026-10-19 - Planning and Zoning Commission: Commission questions to planning staff about the S version; staff reviewing internally; work session expected before Nov 4.
- 2026-10-07 - Assembly Regular - Public hearing resumed with roughly two dozen speakers on the original and the substitute version introduced by Janice Park (tiered density, reduced heights, larger setbacks in R-1/R-2, exclusion of seismic hazard zones 4 and 5, ten-year sunset). Speakers divided on process, parking and infrastructure capacity. Postponed to November 4, 11-0, with no vote on the merits.
- 2026-10-06 - 2026-10-06 - Assembly Regular: public hearing opened and ran past midnight; testimony split between the original, the Park substitute and opposition over R-1 and R-2; recessed to October 7 with no action.
- 2026-10-28 - 2026-10-28 - Assembly Worksession Meeting - October 28, 2026 - Housing: work session on AO 2026-85 (video listed, no transcript yet).
- 2026-11-04 - 2026-11-04 - Assembly Regular Meeting: Assembly regular meeting where the vote was expected; outcome not yet confirmed.