MIDDLE HOUSING ZONING "Middle Housing" is a new zoning classification adopted by the City on October 27, 2022 ( Ordinance #2022-4399 ). This classification was created to: Accommodate an ever-growing student population, Acknowledge the reality of what was already happening in some neighborhoods, and Provide protection to other neighborhoods from incompatible housing types (Ag Shacks, etc.). This post will answer a number of questions about Middle Housing Zoning to help you un

SHARED HOUSING STRUCTURE CLASSIFICATION In the late 1990's and early 2000's, developers and investors figured out that a lot of money can be made with over-occupancy and that enforcement by the city was difficult. They then began building what are commonly known as "Ag Shacks" (The name of one of the early companies that promoted these structures.) or "stealth dorms." These structures replace traditional homes and are not suited for any other purpose than rental, unlike tradi

During participation in one of the focus group forums for the Comprehensive Plan review, it was noted the original plan had been amended multiple times. If a "plan" has been changed so often, then perhaps it was poorly designed or, worse still, it was being ignored by our elected leaders and staff. So we looked into it - how many times had the plan been revised? Below are screenshots of spreadsheets summarizing 85 amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. In addition, there have

Information shown in this post is summarized and taken from the City of College Station 2018 Existing Conditions Report . This report is updated every five years, and for the 2018 report, covered the period 2013 to 2017. CITY GROWTH AND ANNEXATION Properties in the city limits are subject to zoning, which regulates land use, lot dimensions, and building form. The city continues to offer development agreements according to the Texas Local Government Code to the property owne

The following text is from the www.StrongTowns.org article What’s Up with All Those Empty Commercial Storefronts in New Mixed-Use Developments? from June 2018 by Rachel Quednau. College Station has numerous examples of "empty commercial storefronts", including Wolfpen Creek Lofts and Northpoint Crossing. ​ From the above referenced article: Cities are complex, and the best-laid plans for them can quickly go awry when the messiness of reality interferes. Maybe the incen

Four members of city council rarely deny a commercial rezoning request. In addition to having the ability to determine all final zoning decisions, this group’s majority position allows them to select all seven members of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and these now have a similar voting record. Commercial interests are heavily funding two candidates for the City Council in the current election. While the bias in voting is concerning, the greater issue is that these votes

Residential homes in College Station are mostly located in General Suburban zoning. By definition, in this zoning the city is committed to "buffering and protecting" against "incompatible uses." However, historically, our City Council has not placed a priority on the right a resident has to not have a commercial business built next door. The most common reason given for placing commercial developments adjacent to neighborhoods has been the need for increased sales tax revenue