Another article on Sandpoint, the little urban enclave in northern North Idaho. I'm anxiously awaiting the city's designation as a micro area by the U.S. Census Bureau. This occurs when the urban area reaches a population of 10,000, which happened this year (the micro area designation might be a year or two off, though).
Sandpoint leaders push for downtown housing
Thursday, July 30, 2009
by Dani Grigg
A town of 8,000 residents in northern Idaho is considering taking one of the most aggressive stances pushing mixed-use development in the state.
Sandpoint’s city officials are rewriting zoning codes to conform with the city’s comprehensive plan, approved by city council in February.
“One of the tenets of the comprehensive plan is to revitalize downtown by trying to fully develop the residential component … so areas are not left as vacant islands of inactivity after a business is closed,” Planning Director Jeremy Grimm said. “Our city attorney said this would be one of the most progressive or restrictive – depending on how you look at it – pieces of code that he’s aware of in the state if it’s approved of in draft form.”
The code would require specific types of downtown businesses – including professional offices, personal and professional services, and retail trade and services – to include a residential component. Developers would have to file for a conditional use permit to be allowed an exception.
Also, the code would require any building over 35 feet to include residential units.
The new comprehensive plan “prefers effective mixed-use development within the existing city limits rather than traditional suburban sprawl,” Grimm said.
The new code would enforce that preference.
Source:
http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive...-require-resid