Brandon Leuallen, The Business Times

The Palisade Planning Commission has taken a step closer to allowing developers to build on smaller lots in order to increase the availability of housing in residential areas while also preserving agricultural land.

During a Feb. 18 meeting, town officials discussed reducing minimum lot size requirements as part of a broader effort to focus on infill development. 

Reducing Lot Sizes

Devan Aziz, Palisade’s community development director, said reducing lot sizes by 30 percent will help achieve Palisade’s goal of more efficient land use. Under the current code, a one-acre site could physically fit six single-family homes, but zoning limits it to only 4.5 homes per acre. By reducing lot size, the town could better utilize infrastructure, ease the housing burden and still maintain its small-town charm.

The proposed changes reduce the minimum lot size for single-family homes in residentially zoned areas from 7,500 square feet to 5,000 square feet, and lots for multi-family homes decrease from 5,000 square feet to 3,500 square feet.

“We’ve already reduced height requirements, and now we’re looking at further changes to accommodate more housing,” Aziz said. 

According to Town Manager Janet Hawkinson, the maximum height requirements differ between commercial and residential uses and help the code to align with the community master plan and preserve the character of the town. 

Support From Commission

Members of the planning commission expressed strong support for the proposed changes.

“I’m supportive of anything we can do to encourage more infill and avoid impacting agricultural land,” Ed Seymour said.

Lisamarie Pinder added, “Not everyone wants a large single-family home. Smaller lots will allow more people to downsize and open up housing options for others.”

Brandon Burke voiced his approval, saying, “I think the dimensional standards could help us create a lot more housing per acre.”

Other members, including Amy Gekas and David Hull, agreed, saying if the lots are conducive to the change, they saw no reason not to move forward.

Concerns and Amendments

During the discussion, Aziz proposed updating the town’s code to allow a single-family home to be divided into a duplex. However, Planning Commissioner Don Bosch brought up concerns about the idea of splitting a home into a duplex, arguing it could mean the city was then automatically granting the property owners the ability to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit as well.

The commission did support the addition of language to the ordinance allowing for greater flexibility in housing design with the understanding that ADU permitting is approved on a case-by-case basis.

Some residents voiced concerns about the ongoing struggles of Palisade businesses to attract workers because of a lack of affordable housing options.

Some speakers in favor of the proposed changes described the new plan as “a genius idea,” particularly in the context of maintaining a balance between development and the preservation of agricultural land.

Next Steps

Aziz was tasked to draft the ordinance to further update the land-use code to align with the master plan that was completed in 2024.