Upzoning Brisbane and SEQ

[#Metro]

UPZONING is a complimentary policy to TOD that can be deployed in areas outside of the walk-up zone to transit stations.

- Unlike TOD, however, it does not seek medium or high intensity use of land around stations. It is a small-target, do-minimum approach to address NIMBY sensitivities around building height.

- TOD is high intensity use of land around a station. Upzoning is a incremental increase in intensity of land use but acts across a wider area of the city's land.

- Generally, upzoning consists of removing the single-family home zoning classification, or amending it such that multiple dwellings (e.g. duplexes, triplexes) or accessory dwellings (standalone granny flats) can be added.

It can also incorporate other measures such as smaller minimum lot sizes, garage conversion, splitting/subdividing lots, or allowing more area of the lot to be developed.

Public Transport Patronage

Overall, the main effect for public transport would be to increase bus patronage, and train patronage for those stations linked to the bus network. This is different to TOD which seeks to influence patronage through increasing walk-up patronage to stations (the 800 m walk-up zone).

California in the US is taking this approach, and a similar approach could be deployed here in SEQ.
This video looks at the progression of land use intensity from farms in the USA to medium density

[#Metro]

Charlotte could eliminate single-family only zoning

It's something you likely don't care about until it impacts your neighborhood: zoning. However, Charlotte leaders are working on a plan that could transform 84% of neighborhoods in the city and they're asking for your input.

Discussion about Ending Single Family Home Only Zoning

San Francisco Planning Commissioners react to hearing about the big steps in Minneapolis to end single family home only zoning and upzone to triplexes across the city.

Ep. 14: How To 'Upzone' The Whole City (Minneapolis 2040 Plan) // The Essential Housing Campaign

Paul Mogush
Community Planning Manager, City of Minneapolis

In 2019, the Minneapolis City Council adopted a new comprehensive plan, named Minneapolis 2040, which included two major land-use changes to spur taller, bigger housing complexes in more places around the city: (1) to allow new three-to-six story buildings along some transit corridors; and (2) eliminate single-family zoning and allow housing of up to three units, or triplexes, in all parts of the city. The three units must remain in the building envelope of the original single family home.

[#Metro]

A really cool thing about up-zoning is that it doesn't require big developers like TOD does. An existing local resident who owns their own property and home could do it. Local residents who would be NIMBYs are financially incentivised to build an additional home. The money goes to them not some big developer like Pradella et al.

It aligns self-interest (maybe moving into the new duplex and renting out the old one to make $$) and the public interest in ways that say TOD doesn't.

 

[Jonno]

This is why I got out of town planning

Every man and their BBQ knew better.

Transit oriented development, new urbanism,, missing middle, "upzoning" which is just good land use planning, gentle density, 15min Neighbouhoods are all part of the same good Neighbourhood planning

They are not  different things but different aspects of the same thing. 

[#Metro]

I think there are essential differences - there is a big difference if 5-7 storey 64-dwelling apartment block complete with with shops go in next door vs say, a granny flat or Accessory Dwelling Unit.

We have TODs in Qld but not upzoning. That would be a separate policy that would have to pass into law or planning instruments at state and council level.

[Jonno]

Hence why I got out of town planning

[#Metro]

I'm going to look though some more background into this, just going to the next increment up I think is a very practical solution.

Three Cheers for Minneapolis (The 3 is for Triplex)
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/12/12/three-cheers-for-minneapolis-the-3-is-for-triplex

In particular, I would recommend anyone with an interest browse the Minneapolis 2040 plan https://minneapolis2040.com/policies/access-to-housing/

The policies appear as follows:

[ozbob]

I have noticed some of this ' upzoning ' going on around Goodna, and in Corinda.

Where there was a single house, it has either been removed (dismantled or moved to another location) and replaced by two houses usually.  Sometimes town house 'six packs'.  I am not sure it needs specific policies, seems to be occurring naturally so to speak, under present councils.

[#Metro]

I am not sure it needs specific policies, seems to be occurring naturally so to speak, under present councils.

I will need to look more closely at the City Plan and the areas that are zoned single-family to see how the concept can be applied to the current circumstances. Jonno might have some views on it too.

Brisbane townhouse ban to be finalised at council meeting
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-townhouse-ban-to-be-finalised-at-council-meeting-20200211-p53zlg.html

Three Cheers for Minneapolis (The 3 is for Triplex)
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/12/12/three-cheers-for-minneapolis-the-3-is-for-triplex

A key Strong Towns tenet on neighborhood growth and change can be summed up in the following pair of statements—the first of which requires the second:

1. No neighborhood should experience radical change.

2. No neighborhood should be exempt from change.

Minneapolis is now the closest of any major U.S. city to turning that pair of principles into actual policy.

Some more detail about the BCC amendment:

BCC proposes restricting townhouse development: Why we think it's a bad idea
https://propertymash.com/research/bcc-proposes-restricting-townhouse-development-why-we-think-its-a-bad-idea/

"The proposed amendment intends to:

- remove provisions in zone codes, development codes and neighbourhood plans supporting Multiple dwellings (townhouses and apartments) in the Low density residential zone

- amend other relevant provisions in City Plan to align with this change, including amendments to the Strategic framework, and make necessary consequential amendments."

[SteelPan]

It is a small-target, do-minimum approach....perfect fit, in other words, for the current QldGovt/TMR flat-earthers....   

[#Metro]

Interesting video on Montreal. Other Canadian cities are doing what Brisbane is doing - either very low or very high density and nothing really in the middle.

The only domestic comparison would be Sydney, which is full of medium density housing.