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.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?
Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.
Oak Park Plans Earth Month Events
Join Oak Park, Illinois, for a series of Earth Month events highlighting the importance of community engagement and education, integrating sustainability into local plans, and planning for the most vulnerable, such as birds, bees and butterflies.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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