Reports & Publications

Johnson City, Tennessee: Innovative Zoning and Subdivision Regulations

In 2002, the Johnson City Board of Commissioners established the Building for Johnson City’s Future Taskforce. The fifteen-member task force was overseen by the city’s Community Development Office and included city commissioners, representatives from the local planning commission, and members of the local housing development industry (builders, lenders, and realtors). The taskforce met for a year and in December 2003 submitted a report with recommendations for the Board of Commissioners to consider for adoption. The recommendations included:

• Adding a new residential zone (MX-1 Neighborhood) to the zoning code which reduces development restrictions to produce quality housing in the low- to moderate-price range ($75,000 -$132,000).

• Partial or total discounting of city-owned property qualifying as affordable housing in the MX-1 Neighborhood zone.

• Expanding the use of the HUD CDBG and HOME Grants to assist housing developers and individual households qualifying for low- and moderate-income housing.

• Expanding city efforts to partner with for-profit and non-profit developers and local mortgage lenders to create affordable housing opportunities.

• Revising and simplifying current subdivision regulations to promote affordable housing developments in the community.

• Providing financial incentives for developers using the MX-1 Neighborhood Zone including; waiving or reducing water/sewer tap, building permit, inspection, site plan review and/or approval fees.

Johnson City's Board of Commissioners approved the MX-1 zoning code change, discounting of city-owned property for affordable housing developments, expanding efforts to create affordable housing partnerships and using HUD CDBG and HOME funding for affordable housing developments. Additionally, the Planning Commission is currently reviewing subdivision regulations in an effort to promote the development of affordable housing. As part of the 2005 General Plan for the city, the city’s Board of Commissioners approved a provision to support the development and preservation of affordable housing in the city. Since the approval of the MX-1 zone in December 2003, forty affordable housing units have been built with another twenty-one units scheduled for development in 2008. Johnson City also created a seven-member task force in response to HUD’s National Call To Action’s Affordable Communities Initiative. The task force is composed of members from the Housing and Community Development Advisory Board, city staff and elected officials.

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