OGDEN RISING: Make Ogden Rezone Opens Big Development Doors
Published On: April 18, 2023 Posted by: Jeremy Peterson
The Ogden City Council met recently to vote on proposed zoning changes to downtown Ogden and portions of the East Central Historic District (Trolley District) neighborhood. The Council voted in favor of the changes.
Here is a map of the new zones:
In the downtown core, new zones allow for buildings up to 20 stories tall. That has the potential to impact the cityscape significantly. Meanwhile, a couple of the more fascinating aspects of the proposal regard residential zoning changes in the East Central Historic District (aka Trolley District) neighborhoods east of Washintgon Blvd. Two new zones affect this area which include the Residential – Multi Family Vertical (R-MFV) and Residential – Multi Family Horizonta (R-MFH).
R-MFV
This particular zone is meant to accommodate residential buildings up to 6 stories tall with commercial uses on the main level. In the map, we see that the neighborhood surrounding the Marshall White Center north of 28th Street has been assigned this zoning. There is also a patch of zoning that encompasses the west side of Adams between 27th and 28th Street.
R-MFH
This particular zoning is limited to three story tall brownstone or townhome type structures. The area extents to the neighorhood north of the YCC between Adams and Ogden Ave. north to Park Bvld and the Ogden River area of Country Woods and Sunchase Apartments and the Prarie Schooner site.
It is important to note that rigorous design standards have been implemented to help the city maintain a cohesive historic feeling. These include exterior finishes and architectural elements like punched windows. Blank facades are prohibited is most cases. Also, besides purely residential use, there is a broad spectrum of permitted uses within these two residential zones. Here is a table of permitted uses within these two zones:
As you can see, there is quite a bit of flexibility offered.
The implicates for this zoning will be felt over the coming years. For any 6-story project to happen, lot assembly will be necessary first. This will require developers to purchase existing homes and sit on them for an extended period while other purchase opportunities materialize. This takes time, money, and patience. So, don’t expect to see any massive projects happening overnight. The smaller 3-story townhomes and brownstone projects may be coming sooner. There is vacant land on the 21st block of Ogden Ave that is ripe for redevelopment and there are some homes past their “best used by” date nearby.
Meanwhile, there are some serious historical landmarks also in within these zones. Will these landmarks withstand the zoning pressure and continue on as monuments to our historic heritage? Time will tell. The best case scenario would see these homes preserved and restored while new development finds a way to honor and compliment this legacy around them.
There is a lot to digest and you can read the entire 209 page ordinance HERE. You can also watch the City Council presentation and vote below:
