What we will really be trying to do is organize the zoning ordinance in a way that people would use it.”

Codametrics Principal Leslie Oberholtzer

For more information on the Planning Commission, visit the Hastings City website at www.hastingsmn.gov/city-government/commissions-task-forces/planning-commission

On Monday, Jan. 27, the Hastings Planning Commission held a workshop featuring a presentation from Codametrics Principal Leslie Oberholtzer on the upcoming comprehensive zoning map for the city of Hastings.
Hastings’ zoning code is receiving a facelift for the first time in nearly 30 years. The updated zoning code for the city has several goals: update the code to better reflect the city of Hastings in 2025, as well as to simplify city zoning code and make the code easier to use for anyone from residents to contractors.
“What we will really be trying to do is organize the zoning ordinance in a way that people would use it,” said Oberholtzer.
Part of that ease of use is showcased in embedded hyperlinks that users can click on to jump from one page to the next for a definition or example or map rather than have to scroll through the 64-page document.
The draft of zoning code presented by Oberholtzer at the workshop is the first module of two which covers broad strokes of residential, mixed-use and special zones. The second module concerns issues of landscape and site design, parking, and nonconformities among other issues.
In the draft of the updated zoning code, there are 17 different zones, down from Hastings’ current 20. Of those 17, six are residential, six are mixed use, and five are special purpose. While one might assume fewer zones would make the zoning code easier to understand, Overholtzer warned against cutting too many different zones: “I personally don’t feel like a zoning code with a lot of zones is a necessarily a bad thing. I think fewer zones means that you are going to have situations where zones are not going to apply correctly.”
At the workshop, Oberholtzer walked the commissioners through the 17 different zones discussing details all the way down to setbacks and façade standards to broader, largescale concepts like zoning to create more walkable neighborhoods.
Of particular interest was the mixed-use zone MX-C, or “Mixed-Use Storefront – Corridor.” The MX-C zone is meant to provide walkable zones with storefronts and restaurants with options for vertical mixed-use buildings for residences and offices while still being accessible by car. The example Oberholtzer provided in Hastings was Schoolhouse Square. “MX-C is meant to help you if you have a location that you want to make it more walkable, but still accessible by cars,” said Oberholtzer.
Commissioner’s comments were largely positive of the draft, applauding the ease of use of the new plan: “It’s super easy to get to what I was needing, like I want to look up how to build a new house, how do I do it? It’s super easy to consume that compared to most city codes,” said Commissioner Chris Teiken.
“I think it’s going to be a lot simpler for people that don’t deal with this to at least have somewhat of a better idea of what all of the terminology means so I think there’ll be a lot less questions and confusion for people,” said Vice Chair Rob Halberg.
As to the timeline for the rollout of the new zoning code, the new code is expected to be adopted in summer of this year. The next steps are a staff review of module 2 in February, followed by a review from the Planning Commission in March. The commission currently plans to hold a community open house in April or May on the new zoning code with a public hearing in the summer before adoption.
For more information on the Planning Commission, visit the Hastings City website at www.hastingsmn.gov/city-government/commissions-task-forces/planning-commission