In two weeks the Planning Commission will begin its review of the Unified Development Ordinance, a complete rewrite of Raleigh’s zoning code that has been in the works for two years. Commission members will discuss the document weekly until a thorough review is completed.
The Planning Commission has 105 days to review the document, but the general consensus among members is that it will likely take longer. Once the Commission has finished its review, the UDO will get kicked to the City Council, where it can be discussed indefinitely before final approval.
The Planning Commission has been reviewing portions of the UDO in subgroups since the most recent draft was released in January, but this is the first time it will be discussing the document as a whole.
Planning Commission members will discuss the document every Tuesday morning starting next week.
Moving in sequential order, each meeting will discuss a particular chapter. Planning staff anticipates having an agenda formalized by next week. Any items not discussed will be rolled over to the next meeting.
Commission members requested case studies for those discussions that demonstrate how the UDO would be applied if it were in effect today.
Members of the public will be able to make comments during the meetings, but members did not determine how much time will be dedicated to those comments.
At last week’s public hearing, about 20 people commented on the UDO. Along with those comments, staff will be compiling the written public comments, staff comments and commission member comments to include during meeting discussions.
Members deliberated meeting locations in an effort to keep the public involved. Planning Commission meetings take place in the council chambers of the Municipal Building at 222 W. Hargett St. where they are recorded and aired over RTV.
Committee meetings usually occur in a conference room on the third floor. While the conference rooms facilitate discussion between commission members and the public, they are not wired for RTV.
The location of those meetings will be determined by next week. However, the first discussion will take place at 9:30 a.m. March 13 in the council chambers as part of the regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting.
In addition to the weekly morning meetings, one evening meeting will be held each month. The first is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. on March 20.
