Birmingham is moving closer to its first comprehensive zoning rewrite in more than two decades, after the Planning Board reviewed preliminary recommendations Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The review is part of a process that began earlier this year to overhaul rules governing land use and development. The zoning ordinance has not had a full update since the early 2000s, according to a city kick-off presentation from April. The goal is to align the code with the Birmingham Plan 2040 Master Plan, adopted in June 2023.

Downtown Publications reported the Oct. 14 review. The board took no formal action, the publication reported.

The city hired consultant Houseal Lavigne Associates for just under $200,000 to lead the rewrite, Planning Director Nicholas Dupuis told C&G Newspapers in September. The firm has been compiling stakeholder input and reviewing existing ordinances to identify areas for improvement.

Planning Board Chair Scott Clein said in a Sept. 15 C&G Newspapers article that the project has two goals: bringing the old ordinance in line with the new master plan and making the code easier for residents to navigate.

"One of the things that we want to try and achieve here is just make sure that our ordinance is simple, straightforward, and as much as possible, easy to understand for the average citizen of the city of Birmingham," Clein said in the article.

Clein also stressed at the time that the board is not trying to upend what works. He said the update follows state legal requirements and does not aim to radically change existing community standards.

The project follows a seven-step timeline laid out in the April kick-off presentation. The Oct. 14 review falls under Step 3, the existing zoning ordinance analysis and preliminary recommendations phase. Later phases will address district and use standards, development and sign standards, and subdivision rules before a draft ordinance goes to the board.

C&G reported in September that completion was expected in fall 2027. The kick-off presentation had targeted summer 2027 for the final draft and adoption hearings.

C&G’s September report listed Zoning Ordinance Office Hours on Mondays and Wednesdays on the second floor of City Hall. Residents can check the city’s project website for current appointment information and opportunities to participate.