Asheville Reporter

The Asheville City Council has implemented a series of amendments to the city's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The main objective is to encourage more housing development, especially affordable housing, and reduce obstacles for smaller businesses.

The Council's decision stems from a long-standing acknowledgment of the city's need for more homes, as highlighted in the Bowen Report’s Housing Needs Analysis. The changes are expected to relieve housing pressure by broadening housing options on commercial corridors and offering more flexibility in residential zones.

One notable amendment raises the review threshold for certain residential projects. Previously, projects with 50 or more units necessitated a costly and risky City Council review. Now, projects including affordable housing may bypass this requirement, provided they meet specific criteria.

Another significant change is the removal of minimum off-street parking requirements for residential and other developments in specific zoning districts, notably along transit-supportive corridors. This gives developers more flexibility, potentially lowering housing costs. The amendment also increases minimum bicycle parking requirements and stipulates that vehicular parking maximums not be exceeded.

Commercial zoning districts have also been updated to ease regulatory barriers, encouraging more housing in currently underused areas. New regulations allow for increased building sizes in certain zones when housing is part of the project.

Additionally, cottage developments see relaxed regulations. These small, clustered communities of single-family homes can now be fewer in number, with a reduced minimum of two cottages, eliminating a 200-foot gap rule and orientation requirements.

Flag lots, characterized by narrow driveways leading to the main building, are also subject to new regulations. The amendments allow reduced minimum driveway widths and increase the permissible number of flag lots in a subdivision.

Assistant Director of Planning and Urban Design, Chris Collins, noted that these changes are part of a broader strategy to address Asheville's housing challenges. While acknowledging that "zoning changes alone won’t solve Asheville’s housing supply issues," Collins emphasized that they complement publicly-funded programs tackling the housing crisis.

The amendments passed with varying degrees of support from the City Council, signaling an evolving approach to urban development as Asheville seeks to balance growth with sustainability and livability.

For more detailed information, visit the UDO Text Amendment webpage. A recording of the Council meeting is available on the City of Asheville YouTube channel.