Comprehensive Zoning Update

Welcome to the City of Woodland's Comprehensive Zoning Code Update web page! This page provides updates on the process, opportunities for input, and interim products released during the process. Sign up here to be notified of all upcoming meetings and project-related updates.

The following link provides a visual tool with a summary of key information concerning the Comprehensive Zoning Code update. https://gis.cityofwoodland.org/portal/apps/storymaps/stories/a3d4ffde83874d83b384f23f2d0d47a8 

What is a Zoning Code?

The City Zoning Ordinance specifies how each individual property can be used to achieve the wide ranging and long term vision set forth by the General Plan. Zoning is the body of rules and regulations that control what is built on the ground and what uses occupy buildings and sites. It determines the form and character of development such as the size and height of buildings and includes provisions to ensure that new development and uses will fit into existing neighborhoods by establishing the rules for being a “good neighbor.”

Why is the City Updating the Zoning Code?

The City completed a comprehensive update to its General Plan in 2017. The adoption of the new General Plan has created an obligation and opportunity to update the Zoning Ordinance, to ensure that the Code achieves the type of development that will carry out the vision set forth in the 2017 General Plan. The update will  ensure that the Code implements the Plan’s policies related to community design, historic preservation, economic development, community health and safety, and environmental sustainability.  In addition, the update will address recently approved State legislation to streamline and facilitate housing development in the community.

As a first step in ensuring that the Zoning Code implements the new General Plan, the City adopted the 2018 Interim Zoning Ordinance (amended in 2020). The Interim Zoning Ordinance, however, is limited to specific corridors within the city. While the interim ordinance provides predictability and certainty for some property owners and developers during a “transition” period, the City has now embarked on a comprehensive update of the city-wide Zoning Code.

The City of Woodland’s current Zoning Code is decades old and has only been modified through minor amendments in order to keep up with new State requirements. In addition, the code is lacking in administrative procedures, is poorly organized, and hard to use. The Comprehensive Zoning Code Update effort provides the opportunity to update the City’s approach to regulation to reflect current uses and development practices and trends, and to create an illustrated and user-friendly code.

What is the Process for Updating the Zoning Code?

To assist in the comprehensive update of the Zoning Code, the City has selected as a consultant Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc. LWC’s work relies on the participation of City staff, Planning Commission, City Council, and the community to develop the comprehensive Zoning Code. To guarantee that the code serves as an effective tool in achieving the kind of development that Woodland wants and can support, LWC will examine the existing code and identify how to translate land use policies and development controls. Ultimately, LWC will lead the development of a user-friendly, legally compliant, and effective set of regulations that acknowledges current opportunities and constraints and that maintains and celebrates Woodland’s character.

The City will utilize a variety of resources to guide and obtain feedback on desired changes including results from use of the Interim Zoning Ordinance, stakeholder and community input, as well as legislative requirements.

How to be involved:

Through stakeholder engagement, decision-maker hearings, and community open houses, the City hopes to understand the trends and patterns in current development; understand the community’s ideas about priorities for updating the Zoning Code and specific changes to be made; and hear the community’s thoughts on organization, form, style, and usability of the code.  Please view the Public Participate page often for updates.  In addition, you may provide comments regarding the Comprehensive Zoning Code update to the following email: compzoneupdate@cityofwoodland.org 

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