The new density bonus
Let's get into the weeds!
A couple weeks ago City Council voted to put in place a new affordable housing density bonus to replace DB90, the program that Mayor Kirk Watson last year deemed an "unhappy experience."
At first glance, it appears to be a modest setback for the pro-housing YIMBY movement, but its long-term effects depend on how future City Councils choose to use the new ordinance. Let's get into the weeds ...
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DB90 generally allowed developments that would otherwise be limited to 60 feet to build up to 90 feet in exchange for affordable housing. In other words, it usually offered 30 "bonus" feet.
The new program creates five bonus tiers: 0 ft, 15 ft, 30 ft, 45 ft, 60 ft.
So if you've got a property whose base zoning limits it to 60 ft, you can apply for any of the above tiers. If granted the 15 ft bonus, you could build to 75 ft. If granted the 60 ft bonus, you could build to 120 ft.
As you can see, whether this results in more total housing than DB90 depends on how city staff and Council decide to use it.
Can we go higher?
CM Chito Vela unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to create another tier that would allow up to 190 additional feet to enable 20-25 story buildings in certain circumstances.
