West City Council Approves Transit Corridor Zoning Update, Shifting New Housing to Central Districts

The West City Council passed the Transit Corridor Zoning Update by a 6-3 vote on July 7, reclassifying 15 blocks along Main Street and River Road for buildings up to five stories with ground-floor retail.

The measure responds to the 2025 West Housing Needs Assessment, which identified a shortfall of 4,200 units and average rents that rose 12 percent between 2023 and 2025 in central zip codes.

Households earning under 80 percent of area median income will gain priority access to 120 of the projected units through the city’s inclusionary housing requirement, while property owners outside the rezoned corridors keep existing density limits intact.

Effects on Daily Commutes and Local Services

Residents who work downtown or at the medical campus two miles north will have shorter walks to new apartments, reducing reliance on the 45-minute bus routes that currently serve outer neighborhoods. Local advocates note that the added population is projected to increase demand for spots at two elementary schools within the corridor by roughly 90 students by 2029.

The legislation allocates $2.3 million from the 2026 capital budget for sidewalk repairs and traffic-signal upgrades at four intersections, according to the council’s adopted public works schedule.

Implementation Timeline and Remaining Decisions

City planning staff will accept development applications beginning August 1, with the first projects expected to reach the planning commission by October. The ordinance requires each approved building to reserve 20 percent of units for below-market rents for a minimum of 30 years.

Property-tax assessments for parcels inside the new zones will be recalculated under the existing commercial-residential mixed-use formula starting in the 2027 assessment year.