By Emily Votruba

It’s probably not anarcho-syndicalism in the making, but the City of Frankfort’s planning commission under the leadership of Bruce Ogilvie has put together a fairly progressive and forward-thinking zoning ordinance. The comment period is NOW, and the public hearing is set for Tuesday, March 11. Take a minute to read it and either weep or rejoice, depending on your POV.

Some Frankfort property owners (this one included) will be stoked to find that the minimum footprint for a residential dwelling in the North Residential and Rural districts has shrunk from 1,000 square feet to 680 square feet. For those of us who have been meaning to downsize both our housekeeping and our energy consumption, this is indeed very good news.

Gentlewoman farmers may keep between 4 and 12 rabbits and/or chickens, and, in the Rural District only, one goat per acre. That’ll be one lonely goat! Alas, no “storage or accumulation” of manure will be tolerated, so you better get your potassium nitrate order in on time.

The draft Medical Marihuana ordinance allows for licensed and state-law-abiding medical marijuana caregivers to function farther than 1,000 feet from a school or 300 feet from another such facility, after passing a background check by the Frankfort City Police.

Solar and wind installations are allowed with restrictions. (I didn’t see any restrictions on biomass conversion.) Solar arrays may be pole mounted in the Rural, Industrial, Institutional, and Civic districts, but elsewhere must be on a roof.

Could these changes signal the dawning of a new Green City by the Bay? Take a minute to look through the documents below and contribute to the ZO process by submitting your comments to Frankfort City Hall.

Meanwhile, in the Village, no word on the overhaul of our zoning ordinance, which was recommended by planning guru Kurt Schindler after he reviewed our document, last overhauled in 2009. The Village Planning Commission needs a new member to fill its roster and is in search of funds to make the necessary changes to the ordinance. Bill O’Dwyer is acting chairperson. He says the first priority is finalizing our zoning map.

Draft Planned Development Overlay District Language

Draft Renewable and Alternative Energy Language ver5

Frankfort Zoning Ordinance with Revisions

Summary of Proposed Amendments to the Frankfort Zoning Ordinance