USDO Review
The City of Albany Common Council adopted the Unified Sustainable Development Ordinance (USDO) on May 15, 2017, to be effective June 1, 2017. The USDO was the result of a 2.5-year effort to comprehensively rewrite the City’s zoning ordinance and other relevant land development regulations, such as the sign ordinance and the land subdivision handbook. The existing regulations were in many cases in excess of 40 years old, were no longer consistent with best practices in the discipline and were frequently in conflict with the stated goals and objectives of the Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
Pursuant to Section §375-5(E)(24)(d)(i), the USDO was adopted with a built-in evaluation period. The purpose of this evaluation period is to shield against any potential unintended consequences that may result from adopting these comprehensive changes without first applying them in practice. The ordinance directs the Planning Staff to compile a list of concerns or unintended consequences that may arise through the application of the USDO to specific projects, building permit applications, and public comment. Where the Chief Planning Official (CPO) finds sufficient grounds for the code to be amended, the CPO shall draft and propose changes pursuant to Section §375-5(E)(24) (Amendments to Zoning Map or USDO Text).
Documents & Resources
Memorandums
- 2021-03-26 -- Proposed Content Changes, Article I
- 2021-04-01 -- Review of USDO Applications 2017-2020
- 2021-04-05 -- Proposed Content Changes, Article III
- 2021-04-19 -- Additional Content Changes, Article III
- 2021-04-20 -- Proposed Content Changes, Article II
- 2021-04-29 -- Proposed Content Changes, Article II (Updated)
- 2021-05-03 -- Relocation of District Standards, Article II
- 2021-05-19 Proposed Content Changes, Article III, Use-Specific Standards
- Article IV (375-401, 403-408) Track Changes
- Article IV (375-401, 403-408) Clean
Additional Documents
Meeting Schedule
| Meeting Date |
Forum | Time | Discussion Topic | Presentation Material |
Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Overview of USDO Applications, June 1, 2017 – December 31, 2020 | Link |
Link |
| March 15, 2021 |
Common Council Regular Meeting | 7:00pm | Introduction of ordinance amending USDO | Ordinances Introduced |
Link |
| March 29, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee |
5:30pm |
Presentation of Planning Department recommendations for changes to USDO Article I --- Discussion of issues and possible amendments | Link | |
| April 6, 2020 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Presentation of Planning Department recommendations for changes to USDO Article III --- Discussion of issues and possible amendments | Link | |
| April 20, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Review of edits to Article III based upon committee recommendations from April 6th --- Presentation of Planning Department recommendations for changes to USDO Article II --- Discussion of issues and possible amendments to Article II | Link |
Link |
| May 4, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Review of edits to Article 2 and 3 based upon prior discussions | Link | Link |
| May 18, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Presentation of Planning Department recommendations for changes to USDO Article IV --- Discussion of issues and possible amendments (may require additional discussions of Article II) | Link | Link |
| June 1 , 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Review and discussion of edits to Article 4 based upon prior discussions | Link | Link |
| June 15, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Review and discussion of edits to Article IV --- Discussion of schedule to complete committee work on pending USDO substantive changes | Link | |
| June 29, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Continued review and discussion of edits to Article IV |
Link | Link |
| June 30, 2021 |
Common Council Caucus |
6:30pm | Presentation to Common Council at caucus of status of all USDO changes and solicitation of input | Link | Link |
| July 20, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Presentation of Planning Department recommendations for changes to USDO Article V and discussion --- Discussion of issues and possible amendments | Link | Link |
| August 3, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Continued review and discussion of edits to Article V | Link |
|
| August 31, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Presentation of Planning Department recommendations for changes to USDO Article IV and discussion --- Discussion of issues and possible amendments Review of specific additional edits per discussions --- Final recommendation to Common Council for scheduling of hearing |
||
| September 1, 2021 |
Common Council Caucus |
6:30pm | Presentation of proposed amendments to Common Council caucus | ||
| September 8, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Final discussion of USDO and possible amendments before public hearing | ||
| September 20, 2021 |
Common Council Regular Meeting |
7:00pm | Public hearing on USDO changes |
||
| September 27, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Discuss any potential changes to USDO as a result of public hearing | ||
| October 5, 2021 |
Planning and Land Use Committee | 5:30pm | Recommend any additional changes to Common Council | ||
| October 18, 2021 |
Common Council Regular Meeting |
7:00pm | Final Vote on USDO Changes | ||