Executive Summary

Here is a copy of the final version of the UDC.
Here is a copy of the version of the UDC approved by the Land Use Control Board with all edits, except those subsequently approved by the Memphis City Council, in yellow highlights.

The Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code (the "UDC") was approved by the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in August, 2010, and took effect on Jan. 1, 2011.  It serves as the zoning code and subdivision regulations for all properties within the City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County.  This blog is devoted to the proposal to amend the UDC based on its one-year anniversary of enactment.  Please review the document and post any comments you may have.  All comments will be reviewed by Office of Planning and Development (OPD) staff. 

Update (April 4, 2012):

The Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board (LUCB) voted to hold this item for 30 days at its February 9, 2012, meeting.  OPD staff has delayed this item for an additional 30 days.  The UDC to be presented to the LUCB on April 12, 2012, is here.  All amendments are indicated in yellow highlights.  Deletions are indicated in yellow highlighted strikethrough.  Please note that this document will be updated throughout the month of March to reflect comments received by OPD.

A staff report that summarizes the amendments can be found here.

In addition to the amendments proposed to the UDC, a revised fee resolution will be presented as a companion item.  To view the proposed fee schedule, click here.  Exhibits 1-6, 7 and 8 cited in the fee schedule are separarte files.

Once the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board acts on this item, it will proceed to the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners for three readings each.

Update (April 20, 2012 and June 8, 2012):

The LUCB approved the amendments to the UDC presented to them on April 12, with an added stipulation that Section 2.7.4 be amended to permit group instruction, provided that each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  The revised UDC, with the amended Section 2.7.4 for group instruction and a new Chapter 9.24 to review such cases can be found here (please note: a copy of the Code was placed on this website on April 18 that failed to contain the approved language of Section 9.3.2).   See minutes of the LUCB meeting where they made this motion here.  A description to these amendments can be found on the revised staff report that will be presented to City Council and the Board of County Commissioners can be found here.

During the April 12, 2012, LUCB meeting, staff presented three additional amendments that are incorporated into the documents above and specified in a memo here.

The tentative schedule for this ordinance stands as follows (updated June 5 to reflect action by City Council during its first reading; these dates are subject to change):

City Council: First Reading: June 5
City Council Planning and Zoning Committee: June 19
City Council: Second Reading: June 19
City Council Planning and Zoning Committee: July 3
County Commission Land Use Committee: First Reading: July 11
County Commission: First Reading: July 16
City Council Planning and Zoning Committee: July 17
City Council: Third Reading/PUBLIC HEARING: July 17
County Commission Land Use Committee: Second Reading: July 25
County Commission: Second Reading/PUBLIC HEARING: July 30
County Commission: Land Use Committee: Third Reading: August 8
County Commission: Third Reading: August 13
City Council: Approval of Minutes of their Third Reading: August 21

Update (May 31, 2012):

Since approval by the Land Use Control Board, there have been a few additions to the list of amendments that are included in the ordinance posted above.  A draft memorandum that describes these amendments and will be presented to City Council prior to their July 3 public hearing is available here. 

Update (June 2, 2012):

Throughout the months of February and March, Office of Planning and Development staff met with citizens who were concerned with the version of the amended UDC that was originally presented to the Land Use Control Board on February 9, 2012.  Their concerns, and OPD's responses, are chronicled in these documents: 2/28/12, 3/9/12, 3/13/12, 3/16/12, 3/21/12 and 3/28/12.  Color key: Green=Agreed; Yellow=Discussion/Explanation; Red=Points of Disagreement.

Update (June 5, 2012):

These links will upload the letters and emails of support received by the Office of Planning and Development for this zoning text amendment, as well as the letters and emails of opposition received as of this date, June 5, 2012.

Update (June 6, 2012):

A companion ordinance that amendments other sections of the City of Memphis Code of Ordinances will be presented with the amendments to the UDC.  Most of these amendments are housekeeping in nature, but several substantive changes are proposed to the City's Alcohol Code, including new regulations for microbreweries.  That ordinance can be downloaded here.

Update (June 7, 2012):

To demonstrate the evolution of this zoning text amendment in response to the comments received by OPD and memorialized in the documents posted above on June 2, the following links will upload the versions of the UDC as presented on this website on 2/7/12, 2/24/12 and 3/22/12.  Staff reports that accompanied these versions are available here for 2/7/12, 2/24/12 and 3/22/12.

Update (June 8, 2012):

The following two versions of the UDC were not posted on this blog previously.  They are posted here for the purpose of showing the evolution of this zoning text amendment.  Link here for versions dated 11/29/11 and 1/3/12.

Update (June 28, 2012):

Based on numerous requests and negotiations from members of the City Council, Board of County Commissioners and the public, several amendments to the UDC will be proposed to the City Council and Board of County Commissioners prior to their public hearings.  To view a copy of this memo that will be forwarded to the members of the City Council's Planning and Zoning Committee for their July 3 meeting, click on this link.  Note: there are several outstanding issues, particularly surrounding the issuance of administrative deviations, that will be added to this list before the July 17 public hearing before City Council.

Update (July 2, 2012):

Here is a copy of the UDC Frequently Asked Questions that was passed out during the District 5 Public Hearing on the UDC on June 27, 2012.

Update (July 12, 2012):

Here is a copy of the memorandum to be presented to the July 17 Planning and Zoning Committee of the Memphis City Council and the July 17 full Memphis City Council that summarizes the additional amendments proposed to the UDC since the Land Use Control Board took action on this item.

Update (July 18, 2012):

Here is a copy of the memorandum that summarizes all amendments approved by the Memphis City Council during their Third Reading on this case on July 17, 2012.

Update (August 8, 2012):

Here is a copy of the UDC as approved by the Memphis City Council on July 17, 2012, and codified with the reading of their minutes on August 7, 2012.  Please note that this version also needs approval by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.  Please also note that the document's pagination may change, as well as the pages indicated on its table of contents and index.

Update (Sept. 1, 2012):

Here is the final copy of the UDC as approved on Third and Final Reading by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners on August 27, 2012, with corrected pagination.  This will also be posted on the standard webpages of the Office of Planning and Development.