UDO Committee Meeting February 11 – Notes
The Raleigh City Council’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Committee met on February 11 to discuss design standards for backyard cottages that would be included in the UDO. The goal of this meeting was to finalize the adoption of backyard cottages in the UDO.
You can watch the meeting on the City of Raleigh’s streaming site for RTN11 (Raleigh Television Network). Follow these steps:
- Click: http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/portal/cor/ext/RTNVideos
- On the site, click “City Council”
- Find the link for the video for the “City Council UDO Review” on February 11, 2013.
Ultimately, the Council decided that backyard cottages would not be included in the UDO. There were concerns about the modifications to the regulations since they were originally introduced in the draft UDO.
The rear setbacks had grown from 5 or 10 feet, to 30 feet. This was of major concern for Mitchell Silver (Chief Planning & Development Officer and Planning Director ). With this setback, backyard cottages would either have to be placed in the center of the properties, or would eliminate the opportunity for most residents.
There were questions about how the opt-in “neighborhood” scenario would work, which neighborhood, and what would constitute a neighborhood. The Council thought that having a neighborhood pilot may not even be effective. The motto of the UDO was questioned again: Are these the “the right rules in the right places”?
Generally, the Council thought that there were too many questions and concerns with the currently proposed regulations to include backyard cottages in the UDO at this time.
Russ Stephenson will attend the Mordecai CAC tomorrow to gage the neighborhood’s interest in acting as a pilot. Even so, the Council has voted against included BYCs at this time.
raleighbackyarddwellings.wordpress.com 