AGENDA #4k

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
FROM:	J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director Loryn Clark, Housing and Neighborhood Services Coordinator
SUBJECT:	Status Report on the Development of an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
DATE:	June 11, 2007

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memorandum is to update the Council on the development of an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance.

The attached resolution would revise the process for developing an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance.

BACKGROUND

On November 20, 2006, the Inclusionary Zoning Task Force presented a draft ordinance to the Council. Important elements of the document include:

Comprehensive strategies for achieving affordable housing in developments involving five or more new housing units;
Allowance of density credits to offset costs;
Continued insistence on permanent affordability;
Expansion of mechanisms to ensure permanent affordability, to include more than the land trust model; and
Service to households below (and up to) 80% of the area median income.

On January 22, 2007, the Council adopted a resolution to establish a process for developing an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. At that time, the Council also adopted an ordinance to allocate up to $25,000 to hire a consultant to prepare a draft Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance.

The Council adopted the following process:

January 22, 2007	Council authorize staff to contract with White and Smith, LLC to draft ordinance and review of the draft ordinance by the Planning Board
January – March 2007	Preparation of draft ordinance by consultant
April 3, 2007	Planning Board review of draft ordinance
May 14, 2007	Public Hearing on draft ordinance
June 11, 2007	Council consideration of an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance

DISCUSSION

As authorized by the Council, the Town entered into a Performance Agreement with White and Smith, LLC to develop an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance consistent with the elements proposed by the Inclusionary Zoning Task Force.

On May 7, 2007, we reported that we were working with the consultant to clarify issues raised in the Task Force report. We have not yet received a draft ordinance from the consultant. Once we receive the draft ordinance, we will review and coordinate with the consultant. We believe we can have the consultant’s proposal before the Planning Board by June 19, with a Public Hearing on June 27, 2007. We also propose to review the draft ordinance with the members of the Inclusionary Zoning Task Force prior to the Planning Board meeting.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Council revise the schedule to review a draft ordinance with the Planning Board on June 19, 2007, and schedule a Public Hearing for June 27, 2007. We also propose to review the draft ordinance with the members of the Inclusionary Zoning Task Force prior to the Planning Board meeting.