Earlier this week, the Phoenix City Council delayed a decision on a zoning proposal that would reshape several historic neighborhoods, including Willo and Encanto-Palmcroft.
The plan would allow duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and townhomes — known as “middle housing”— in areas within a mile radius of a city’s downtown district. Opal Wagner is the co-chair of Save Historic Arizona. She calls the delay a good thing.
"In order to give themselves time to explore some of the questions that were brought up by the public and also to consult with some experts, which we think is a very, very good idea," said Wagner.
Wagner says Tucson consulted experts earlier in the process, and the result of that is informing that city’s middle-housing zoning amendment.
"So, what that did is expanded the zone for middle housing out to where it covers them, now covers about 10% of the city of Tucson," Wagner said.
The next City Council meeting is Nov. 19.
"Phoenix might be a little late to the party on that, but I'm very, very glad that Councilwoman Stark in particular told us she has already reached out to the Morrison Institute at ASU and would like to have a similar advice or a similar study," said Wagner.
The delay comes as the new Arizona law mandating middle housing will go into effect in January.
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