The ReCode initiative promotes more diverse housing types and reduces parking requirements, among other changes.
Portland, Maine will make the first major update to its zoning and building codes in half a century with the ReCode initiative.
According to an article by Sean Murphy for Spectrum Local News, officials say the code is “bloated, needlessly complicated, and not in line with the city’s 21st-century development plans.”
The revised code will allow new housing types, including multifamily housing, promote multimodal transportation, and reduce parking requirements. “In a nutshell, the changes allow different types of housing, including multifamily housing, to be built in areas where it wasn’t allowed before. That includes neighborhoods where the only thing developers could build before was single-family homes.”
FULL STORY: Portland City Council approves ReCode initiative, first major building code changes in decades
Will New York ‘City of Yes’ Proposal Make an Impact?
Some housing experts say the rezoning plan is not nearly ambitious enough to make a dent in the city’s housing crisis.
Portland, Maine Embraces Zoning Reform for Multifamily Housing
The Portland City Council amended the land use code to allow up to four units on all residential lots on the mainland, and up to three on island lots. It also eliminated parking requirements for these uses.
Austin Approves Upzoning
Combined with the recent decision to eliminate parking minimums, the move to end single-family zoning could help make housing more affordable.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
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In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet
With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.
Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.
This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.
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