Proposal Shortens Builders’ Time Frame

Builders would have a limited time to finish developments and less chance for extensions before they lose permission to build under a proposed city ordinance.

City leaders this week agreed to consider requiring that all projects begin no more than two years after being approved by the city. The proposed law would also shorten the maximum time of an extension to one year and limit the number of extensions to three.

Councilman Andy Fox said he suggested the changes to give residents a better opportunity to become informed and involved in development projects near their homes.

Currently, automatic and unlimited time extensions are routinely given to developers, Fox said. This has caused frustration among neighbors who said they had not heard about developments in their community because they moved in long after the project had been approved by the City Council.

“This is being less accommodating to developers and more responsive and sensitive to the residents,” he said.

The ordinance, being written by the city attorney’s office, should come back to the council for consideration at its Jan. 23 meeting.