New Zoning Law Could Reshape How Sioux Falls Looks in the Future

One of the issues voters will consider on the April 8 Sioux Fall City election ballot is something called 'Shape Places,' a change in the city’s zoning law.

It was passed by the City Council in 2013 but some residents referred the zoning revision to April election.

According to Sioux Falls City Planning Director Mike Cooper, the comprehensive revision takes into account a Sioux Falls that has drastically grown and changed over the past 30 years.

“What this ordinance would do is replace the last zoning ordinance which was passed in 1983,” Cooper said.

Cooper says the new planning and zoning ordinance would give everyone in the develop process more certainty, as developers would have to be more specific in their plans before the city would approve a zoning change.

“We made it a little more specific for the public and the development community," Cooper said. "The intent is for people to pay attention at the beginning of the process when there is a proposal to rezone from agricultural to, say, residential or commercial.”

The 'Shape Places' ordinance has been on hold since it was passed early last year. Voters in the April Sioux Falls city election will decide if the new zoning ordinance guides the city into the future or if the 1983 ordinance remains in place.

Cooper made his comments on KSOO’s Viewpoint University Wednesday.