Adaptive Reuse Ordinance
Summary
The new ordinance makes it easier to turn empty commercial buildings into apartments, with no parking required for the reused building. Several commissioners warned this could create under-parked projects in areas without transit and asked staff to come back with fixes.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Aug 31, 2026.
Impact analysis
No parking requirements could lower housing costs for residents who don't drive, but spillover parking could burden nearby neighborhoods.
Developers converting older commercial buildings, and renters priced out by parking costs.
Neighbors of converted buildings in non-transit areas could face parking spillover if projects go up with few spaces.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Housing and Homelessness Committee — August 31, 2026
The committee was set to discuss buying the Motel 6 on La Sierra Avenue and the Days Inn on Magnolia Avenue and converting them into roughly 148 affordable homes for seniors. It could be a major step in adding affordable housing and reducing homelessness.
City Council — June 23, 2026
A decade in the making, the new ordinance makes it much easier and cheaper to turn empty offices, retail, and industrial buildings into apartments — by right in commercial zones, with no new parking required and relaxed height and open-space rules. Preservation advocates worry older buildings could lose historic features before anyone checks, and the council promised to add historic-preservation safeguards.
Planning Commission — May 21, 2026
The new ordinance makes it easier to turn empty commercial buildings into apartments, with no parking required for the reused building. Several commissioners warned this could create under-parked projects in areas without transit and asked staff to come back with fixes.
Planning Commission — February 12, 2026
A business wants to open a craft beer tap room alongside an art gallery in an existing Northside commercial building. Neighbors had a chance to weigh in at the public hearing.
City Council — January 13, 2026
The council was to consider directing nearly $1 million in CDBG money and accepting up to $20.1 million in Homekey+ funds to convert the Quality Inn on University Avenue into 30 affordable housing units.
Related development
University Terrace Homes (Quality Inn Motel conversion)
The housing project remains dead unless one of the four no-voting councilmembers files a reconsideration motion.
Motel 6 and Days Inn conversion to affordable senior housing
Adds another 65 affordable senior units in Ward 6, though not likely complete until late 2029.
Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (Zoning Text Amendment)
If adopted, vacant commercial buildings could become housing faster and cheaper — potentially adding apartments in areas like downtown where they're currently hard to build.
Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (PC-2026-00427)
Could turn vacant strip malls and office buildings into housing citywide, with case studies showing 25-57 units per site. The lack of parking minimums in car-dependent areas was the meeting's sharpest point of debate.
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