The Housing, Planning & Development Committee met on February 18, 2026 to discuss two agenda items. The committee approved the minutes of the previous meeting and debated Ordinance 02-2026, which aims to amend the city's weed ordinance to allow managed natural landscapes in front yards while establishing setbacks and height limits for public safety. The discussion focused on buffer dimensions, enforcement approaches, and a technical correction. The ordinance was deferred to a future committee meeting.
Right. I will call the February 17th, 2026 meeting of the housing planning and development meeting to order. We do have all members of the committee present. Two items on the agenda. First is the approval of minutes from the November 10th, 2025 Housing Planning and Development Committee. Do I hear a motion? So moved. It was my wedding anniversary. Second. I'll second the motion to approve. All in favor? Aye. Motion carries. Thank you. Next item of business ordinance 02-2026. This is uh regulation establishing regulations for front yard plantings. Um this is something that's come back in the docket. We spent some time last year about this. Thus far and bringing this back to the attention of the committee and uh full council. Um without further ado, I'll turn it over to uh Commissioner Parmeley to talk about where we are now and as opposed to where we started and what the next steps are and take it away. Good evening. Uh where we are now is where we left off. Uh we had you know budget season hit, um elections, all that good stuff. Think kind of didn't fall off the radar. Uh 2025 was a really busy year for housing and building. Um 26 hasn't slowed down either. So we're looking to get this thing through. Um I anticipate one more committee meeting um because part of my homework was to update figures one and two in the proposal, which I just flat out didn't have time to do. So gonna carve out some time and get that done before next committee meeting. Uh I just wanted to clarify because we had uh a couple edits here. Um understanding folks want to use more of the corner lot and the interior lot. Um so just for my own edification, so I know what I'm doing. I look at the two-foot setback from the public right-of-way, which would be the private side of the sidewalk, give us two-foot buffers there, along with the two-foot buffers on either side of the interior lot, um, which would essentially give us a four-foot site triangle, which the site triangle is something I was trying to accomplish in the beginning. Um, so we don't have this, you know, everybody has their own opinion on what you know well manicured natural landscaping looks like. But uh being kind of the third leg in the stool of public safety, I just want to make sure that you know, right-a-way pedestrians, folks on bikes, taking walks, um, aren't going to be in harm's way when cars are backing out of driveways. It's kind of my primary goal here. Um try to limit that stuff to three foot, you know, understanding that some folks really don't have much uh backyards and they want to do raised garden beds out front. They want to plant their veggies and some tomato plants and stuff in the front yard and welcome those pollinators. Uh without them, none of us would be sucking air right now, honestly. So I just want to make sure that I'm correct um when it comes to these setbacks that we edited. Uh again, pulling it a little closer to the right-of-way on the corner lots, which I'm not opposed to. There is a few lots. Um, it's gonna be the northwest corner of Clarence and Franklin is one that really catches my mind. Uh the guy's got some growth. Um he's gotten better over the years, uh, not having stuff hanging over the sidewalk. My my problem is your front tires shouldn't have to be on the crosswalk to look left and right. Um, kids are already on top of you, you know, or that guy that runs, I obviously don't, but those folks that are out there trying to enjoy those public pathways. Again, not trying to regulate what you plant your front yard, although there is regulations in here. Um, just to kind of help manage the height and give the property maintenance inspectors clear directive because those are the folks boots on the ground that have to enforce, you know, especially when it comes to the high grass regs. So that's what I'm looking for uh this evening, just some clarification so I can get these figures dialed in.