On December 3, 2019, the City of Helena Zoning Commissioners voted unanimously (5:0) to recommend approval of an ordinance to change a range of district dimensional standards by amending Chapter 4 of Title 11 of the Helena City Code in an effort to increase housing density in the city. This was followed by a first passage hearing on the ordinance by the City Commission on December 16, 2019, wherein the City Commission voted unanimously (4:0) to approve the ordinance. No one spoke in opposition to the ordinance at either hearing. Subsequent to the public hearings, City Planning Staff sent notice of the proposed ordinance detailing the dimensional standard changes to members of the architecture community, HBIA, and realtors in an effort to solicit public comment.
The district dimensional standard changes proposed are as follows:
- Increase lot coverage allowance in the R-1 and R-2 (Residential) Districts from 30% with an additional 5% for a porch to 40%.
- Increase the maximum height allowances as follows:
- R-1/R-2 (Residential) Districts increase from 24 feet to 30 feet
- R-3 (Residential) District increase from 24 feet to 36 feet
- R-4 (Residential) and R-O (Residential-Office) increase from 36 feet to 42 feet
- B-2 (General Commercial District) increase from 42 feet to 60 feet
3. Remove lot area requirements as follows:
- R-3 (Residential) District from 2,000 square feet per dwelling unit for multiple dwelling units to zero (0) square feet
- R-4 (Residential)/R-O (Residential-Office) Districts from 1,200 square feet per dwelling unit for multiple dwelling units to zero (0) square feet
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