In addition to serving as District Council Chair of ULI Triangle, my day job is to oversee long range planning for the City of Raleigh, and on February 18th the City Council took a significant step towards meeting the future by passing a major overhaul of the City’s development code. Raleigh’s current code is built around a framework adopted in the 1950s. Urban development of the type increasingly in demand has required the use of special overlay districts and complex approval procedures. The new code, known as a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), puts walk-able urban development on par with suburban development in terms of entitlement and review processes.

Major benefits for developers include predictable by-right approvals for development plans, greater flexibility with regards to use and density and parking, and a streamlined rezoning process. The code contains standards appropriate for both urban and suburban settings. City staff believe it to be a big improvement over the current code, and are thankful for all the hours and review and input that came from citizens and the development community over the course of the drafting and adoption process.

The next big task will be to map the new UDO zoning districts, so stay tuned.

-Ken Bowers, ULI Triangle Chair, Deputy Planning Director, City of Raleigh

http://www.raleighnc.gov/business/content/PlanCurrent/Articles/NewRaleighCode.html