A preliminary list of Hyde Park properties being considered for downzoning will be presented in a public meeting this Thursday at 7 PM at Knox Commons, .

The rezoning proposal, also being considered by the Mount Lookout Community Council, is believed to lessen the possibility that a developer could purchase a house on a large lot, tear it down, then subdivide the lot to build multiple houses.

In Hyde Park, up to 199 parcels zoned SF-6 could be downzoned to SF-10, and up to 209 parcels zoned SF-10 could change to SF-20.*

Margaret Wuerstle, chief planner for the City, will discuss the reasons behind the proposal, explain how the rezoning process works, and obtain citizen feedback.

Hyde Park Neighborhood Council wants to gather public input before taking a position on the proposal.

Over the past couple of years, residents in Hyde Park have become concerned about a perceived lack of zoning control that could lead the loss of their neighborhood's built integrity, the most notable example being the two new houses at that have a much smaller setback than the rest of the structures on the street.

* SF-6 zoning allows minimum lot sizes of 6,000 square feet (0.14 acres), SF-10 allows minimum lot sizes of 10,000 square feet (0.23 acres), and SF-20 allows minimum lot sizes of 20,000 square feet (0.46 acres).

Previous reading on BC:
Downzoning in the hands of Hyde Park, Mount Lookout residents (1/15/09)