Building Code to Be Updated, Clarified

The City Council has approved spending $55,000 to hire a private firm to update the city’s zoning code, which has not been reviewed since 1979.

The zoning code includes regulations affecting structure building and improvements, said Chris Kelly, community development director, who urged the council to allocate the money.

“The city’s zoning code is in need of a comprehensive update to make the code a more readable and user-friendly document that incorporates additional tables and graphic depictions of standards and terms,” Kelly said.

In addition to making minor amendments and clarifications, the updating will add material, including group-home provisions, second-unit provisions, density-bonus provisions, landscaping requirements and mobile-home-park standards, Kelly said.

Although city government may contract for professional consultants without bids, city staff sought proposals from 10 firms.

Kelly said that five companies responded, ranging in cost from a low of $42,125 to a high of $97,000.

Kelly recommended that the contract be given to the second-lowest proposal, which was $49,740, submitted by Cotton/Beland/Associates Inc.

Kelly said that the firm had done previous work for the city and had the best proposal.

The City Council voted $55,000 for the overall project to allow for staff meetings and council workshops on the subject.