Memo from the President of FWLNA

SDU Zoning (A-5S)

As you all know, the League is constantly polled by city staff on issues that directly impact neighborhoods. Recently, we were asked to weigh in on two new actions the city is researching to undertake. The first is the Secondary Dwelling Units (SDU) zoning change and the second is a revised Large Animal Ordinance. Below is a copy of the opinion text sent to city staff and council. Our role as League Board members is to stay in touch with what members desires for their neighborhoods and make sure that these desires are communicated to the appropriate people. Quality of Life is the League's main concern and focus.

We embrace the spirit of the SDU initiative in that it:
- works to reduce duplexes (typically rental units) and replace with single family homes; which increases home ownership
- creates a path for neighborhoods to gradually morph into an appropriate density based on infrastructure
- provides a more restrictive classification to assist neighbors who have SDU while still keeping the duplex and multi-family growth in check

Here our concerns regarding this ordinance that we feel need to be addressed.
1. We feel that this zoning should be folded into the Comprehensive Plan. Planning should revise the current 2007 zoning plan to include areas of the city that are appropriate for this new classification. Issues of parking, noise, etc shared by members of the FWLNA are still a concern, but can be controlled if planned accordingly. This should only include changes from higher density zonings currently. In other words, no move from A-5 to A-5S, only higher density such as B-2 to A-5S.
2. City Council and Staff should be more accountable to the comprehensive plan in regards to zoning. We continue to see instances of "spot zoning" and variances from the comprehensive plan leaving neighbors to have little faith in the process.
3. The 2 year period should still apply to the use of SDU. If a neighbor wants to use their SDU as a second residence, they must prove that it has been that way in the last two years. We do not want to see the clock on properties reset with the zoning change. In other words, if the purpose of this change is to let people with SDUs in A-5 areas that cannot be rented now be rented, then we are not in favor of this change.
4. Zoning "subsets". We are concerned that the area that can be zoned as a subset of a neighborhood is too nebulous. We believe there should be a percentage rule adopted that provides for fair and equal interpretation of the rule. For example, for an area to be re-zoned to a classification of less restriction (i.e. from A-5 to A-5S) would require at least _____% of the properties in the NA boundaries to be zoned to the new classification in order to qualify. Otherwise, the "spot-zoning" issue occurrence will increase.
5. We think you should consider a limit on the number of people who can reside total between the two residences, as well. Here, we are suggesting that the current total persons allowed on the property remain the same and that the SDU must be able to comply with the current limit for the property and not have each unit with its own head count - no more allowable persons would be added.

Large Animal Ordinance

We believe the language provided to us is appropriate and fair to neighbors and agree that this adjustment to the current ordinance is needed.

Ethics and Review Committee

In other news, we recently followed up with the city staff on the Ethics and Review Committee. If you will recall, last Fall there was a call to rotate the current committee to new members and the League was involved in this process. But since then, we have seen no movement and no change. We finally got a response back from the city's attorneys. Since the purpose of the Ethics Committee is to monitor council and city practices, and with the elections just months away at the time, it was deemed appropriate that the new council be involved with these appointments. So, all resumes and input from groups from last Fall is still in place and new appointments will be made after the upcoming May elections.

Sorry this was so long. We have a new Board that is going to work for you and I am very excited about the new people and new ideas that will come from their involvement. Keep us as your leaders in your thoughts and prayers and please feel free to provide us feedback at anytime by simply emailing myself at president@fwlna.org or any of the Board members at any time.

Take Care!

-Matthew Hudson, President