By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Unified Development Code (UDC), the update of the city of Hays’ zoning and subdivision regulations, includes some new and different zones.

City commissioners will take a look at the revised zoning map during Thursday’s work session.

“In order to adopt the Unified Development Code, we also have to update the zoning map,” explained Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood.

The updated map includes the current three-mile zone–now known as the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)–around the Hays city limits. Commissioners recently agreed to reduce the boundary as requested by Ellis County.

“It’ll probably take three weeks or maybe a month before that is all finalized,” Wood said.

The UDC has been in process for more than two years. Updating a zoning code typically results in a number of properties that don’t conform to the new code.

“One of the things they’re doing now is creating zones that will encompass some of those older areas of town, so they are not non-conforming,” Wood said. “Neighborhood Conservation Zones will be put in place in some of the older parts of town, so that as soon as Hays adopts the code, those properties don’t become non-conforming. It’s kind of new and innovative as far as zoning codes go.”

The UDC will include typical business, residential, higher-density residential zones, which will remain the same although their names will change somewhat. The requirements within each differ.

“The whole goal of the Unified Development Code is to make things more flexible,” Wood pointed out.

“It makes things easier for developers. It makes things easier for property owners. If homeowners want to expand their house, it should make things quite a bit easier under the Unified Development Code than it was in the past.”

A draft of the revised zoning map can be seen here.

The Aug. 18 city work session agenda is available here. Commissioners will also consider a bid award for the Oak Street waterline replacement between 20th Street and 26th Street.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.