Shaping Up: Missing Middle Housing & Residential Design Standards

Planning Commission Business Meeting:

Exhibit 6 - Legislative Hearing: Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments (G 6-21)

Time: Thursday, March 17, 2022 - 6:30PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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What is Missing Middle Housing?

Let's start with talking about our State Requirements.

In 2019, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2001 (HB 2001), a bill that will result in changes to the types of housing that are allowed to be constructed in residential areas in cities across the state of Oregon. HB 2001 requires cities of certain sizes to allow “middle housing” in areas and properties that allow for the development of detached single-family dwellings. Middle housing is defined in HB 2001 as including duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes (fourplexes), cottage clusters, and townhouses. More specifically, HB 2001 requires that large cities, or those with a population over 25,000 (which includes McMinnville), shall allow the development of the following:

“All middle housing types in areas zoned for residential use that allow for the development of detached single-family dwellings” and
“A duplex on each lot or parcel zoned for residential use that allows for the development of detached single-family dwellings.”

For more detailed information on HB 2001, please see the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) webpage on HB 2001.

So what does this mean for McMinnville?

Cities that fall within the large city category (like McMinnville) are required to adopt land use regulations and Comprehensive Plan amendments to address HB 2001 by June 30, 2022. Understanding that infrastructure capacity may result in difficulties with allowing an expanded range of housing types in areas of cities that historically only allowed for single-family dwellings, HB 2001 was drafted to include a process to allow cities to identify infrastructure deficiency issues and request extensions to address those issues. Extension requests to address infrastructure deficiency issues are required to be submitted to the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) by June 30, 2021.

As part of the state-wide implementation of HB 2001, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) led a rulemaking process that resulted in clarifications to the HB 2001 language and more specifically prescribes the requirements that cities must follow in regards to the allowance of the middle housing types. The rulemaking process was recently finalized, and the final version of the rules was adopted by the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) on December 9, 2020. These rules were adopted as Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) Chapter 660, Division 46.

The rulemaking process resulted in the creation of minimum standards that medium and large cities must follow to allow middle housing types. The rules also created a “model code”, which would apply directly in cities that do not implement their own development code and Comprehensive Plan amendments prior to the deadlines established in HB 2001.

How McMinnville Policy will help us determine what needs to be done...

In 2019, the McMinnville City Council adopted Great Neighborhood Principles (GNP) into the Comprehensive Plan. The GNPs are intended to “…guide the land use patterns, design, and development of the places that McMinnville citizens live, work, and play. The Great Neighborhood Principles will ensure that all developed places include characteristics and elements that create a livable, egalitarian, healthy, social, inclusive, safe, and vibrant neighborhood with enduring value…”. The GNPs include two principles specific to housing, which are:

Housing for Diverse Incomes and Generations. Great Neighborhoods provide housing opportunities for people and families with a wide range of incomes, and for people and families in all stages of life.
Housing Variety. Great Neighborhoods have a variety of building forms and architectural variety to avoid monoculture design.

These GNPs are consistent with the intent of HB 2001, which is to increase housing options within residential areas of McMinnville. To view the Great Neighborhood Principles click here.

This Project & Middle Housing Design Standards

The HB 2001 rules will require that all middle housing types begin to be allowed in all residentially zoned areas of McMinnville by June 2022. The purpose of the Residential Site and Design Review project is to create development and design standards for all housing types, including the housing types that are described in HB 2001 - commonly referred to as "middle housing" types - and to ensure that these types of housing can be developed and integrated within residentially zoned areas while maintaining the unique characteristics and qualities of McMinnville’s neighborhoods.

In order to implement the City’s Great Neighborhood Principles, and also in preparation for the implementation of HB 2001, the McMinnville Planning Department began work on the Residential Site and Design Review project in late 2019. The Planning Department worked with a consultant to develop an initial first draft of potential Residential Site and Design Review Standards, which was reviewed by the McMinnville Planning Commission over the course of four work session meetings from February 2020 to July 2020.

The next step in the process of this project is to review the current Draft Residential Site and Design Review Standards document against the adopted HB 2001 rules and requirements, now that they have been adopted at the state level. The same consultant is assisting the Planning Department with this process, and will be developing options and recommendations for how the Draft Residential Site and Design Review Standards can be brought into compliance with the state HB 2001 rules and requirements.

Once finalized, the Residential Site and Design Review Standards will be adopted by the McMinnville City Council into the McMinnville Municipal Code. The standards would then apply to all new residential development, including new development of middle housing types within residential zones in McMinnville.

Project Timeline:

Planning Commission Review of Draft Residential Site and Design Review Standards: February-July 2020
Planning Commission Review of HB 2001 Adopted State Rules: January 2021
Analysis of Draft Code & Development of Options for Compliance: February-March 2021
Planning Commission Review of Options for Compliance: April 2021
Public Open Houses: April 2021

Due to the COVID-19 event, open house meetings will be held via Zoom meeting software. Meetings will be recorded and posted to the website for those not able to attend one of the scheduled open house meeting times.

Open houses will include a presentation from staff on HB 2001 and the City of McMinnville’s current approach to compliance with HB 2001. Presentation will be followed by an opportunity for questions and answers from those in attendance.

Past Public Sessions:

Time: Monday, February 28,2022 6:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Time: Tuesday, March 1,2022 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Time: Wednesday, March 2, 2022 7:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Time: Thursday, March 3, 2022 4:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Time: April 27, 2021 2:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Time: April 28, 2021 6:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Time: April 29, 2021 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Draft Updates to Residential Site and Design Review Standards: May 2021
Future Public Outreach & Open Houses: Dates TBD – Potentially June-December 2021
Final Updates to Residential Site and Design Review Standards: Dates TBD – Potentially June-December 2021

Public Hearing Process:

Planning Commission Public Hearings: Dates TBD - Potentially January-February 2022
City Council Adoption (or Public Hearings if requested): Dates TBD - Potentially March-April 2022