Editor's Note: This article, originally published April 14, was updated April 26 with information about the telephone town hall meeting that is scheduled.

The Arlington City Council will host six town hall meetings between April 21 and June 21 so the public can learn about and weigh in on what Residential Infill, Development, and Redevelopment tools are available to create a greater range of housing choices and develop attainable neighborhoods across The American Dream City.

A 10-person focus group was created last July following City Council’s request to review Arlington’s Unified Development Code (UDC) standards and remove barriers for residential infill developments and redevelopment. The citizen-led Unity Council also recommended in its report to City Council last year that the City should establish different standards for infill development and to remove barriers to increasing attainable quality housing for all. The proposed standards also align with the 2015 Comprehensive Plan to provide a mix of quality housing for a diverse population, encourage the development of housing choices that meet the needs of current and emerging populations including singles, couples, small and large families, empty nesters, and seniors.

 Among the proposals:

• Create a simplified, administrative approval process to allow partial relief from existing standards for development and redevelopment of housing on small, infill lots or irregularly shaped lots.
• Add a new Mixed Residential (MR) District to promote and facilitate the development of residential neighborhoods with diverse housing types and walkable commercial uses that would increase attainable housing supply and provide more housing choices. Traditional multi-family would not be permitted in a MR residential district.
• Encourage residential redevelopment, revitalization, and renewal of older areas and multi-family properties by allowing sites larger than 3 acres to utilize MR zoning standards.
•  Consider allowing duplexes or two-unit townhomes within existing Single-Family Zoning Districts, with standards to ensure the form, scale and appearance of development is compatible with the adjacent neighborhood. Consider whether other housing types would also be appropriate.
• Consider allowing Secondary Living Units in the RS-7.2 and RS-5 Single-Family Zoning Districts in the same manner as currently permitted in the RE, RS-20 and RS-15 single-family neighborhoods.
•  Housing in the above proposals could not be used for short-term rentals, except where allowed by the City’s Short-Term Rental Chapter.

 The proposals will be presented to the Arlington Planning & Zoning Commission and the City Council later this year, following the upcoming series of town hall meetings.

In-Person Town Hall Meeting Schedule

•  6 p.m. Thursday, April 21: District 1 Representative Helen Moise will host a meeting at Texas Rangers Golf Club, 701 Brown Blvd.
•  6 p.m. Thursday, May 12: District 2 Representative Raul H. Gonzalez will host a meeting at Cliff Nelson Recreation Center, 4600 W. Bardin Road
•  6 p.m. Tuesday, May 31: District 3 Representative Nikkie Hunter will host a meeting at Bob Duncan Recreation Center, 2800 S. Center St.
•  6 p.m. Thursday, June 9: District 5 Representative Rebecca Boxall will host a meeting at the East Library and Recreation Center, 1817 New York Ave.
•  6 p.m. Tuesday, June 21: District 4 Representative Andrew Piel will host a meeting at the Kathryn Wilemon Lake House, 6021 W. Arkansas Lane

Telephone Town Hall Meeting

In addition to the five in-person town hall meetings for each Council District, the Arlington City Council has scheduled a telephone town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, May 9.

Those who are interested in participating in the virtual town hall meeting are asked to call in at 6 p.m. to listen in for important information or to ask a question.

The participant toll-free numbers for this town hall meeting are:

• English: 888-409-5380
• Spanish: 844-881-1317
• Vietnamese: 888-410-3427

Those who want to participate can also pre-register online up until 3 p.m. May 9 to receive a phone call when the telephone town hall begins. Click here for registration information.