The Mexico Planning and Zoning Commission gave its approval for an update to the city’s zoning codes and a plan to simplify the user experience.

The city’s Economic Development Director Rita Jackson presented the changes and the new plan to the P&Z commission at their regular monthly meeting this past Tuesday, Nov. 7. Jackson said the city enlisted the services of Crawford, Murphy, and Tilley (CMT) to help with the update. CMT’s senior planner and engineer Scott Hanson was also at the meeting.

The biggest component of the update is transferring all of the city’s zoning language into a “zoning matrix table.” Jackson said when citizens come to the city to inquire about opening a business or new development there is a process to determine where those can occur according to the city’s zoning requirements. Jackson said the process can be cumbersome and lead to mistakes not only from the public side but at times city staff can also make mistakes. She thinks the matrix will solve so many issues.

“It will simplify and put all of our zoning into one area to where you don’t have to go through several pages to find out what all you can do in several zoning districts,” Jackson said.

City building officials Dennis Houchins and Gary Dunnavant were also at the meeting to help facilitate the discussion. Houchins used to work for the city of Fulton and helped that town implement a similar system for its zoning department. Houchins said instead of having to search through zoning maps to determine where a business or use can be located citizens will be able to input data and locate all of the zones where the use or development is allowed, essentially flipping around the process.

“Instead of having to go through each district to see if it’s listed is really going to simplify things,” Houchins said.

Hanson said the entire project was a two-step process that involved creating the matrix first and then coming in and adding in the data.

“We had some questions, we posed that to staff and they went back and put their heads together,” Hanson said.

Houchins said there were no changes to the zoning codes other than to modernize some language. He said some of the language had to be updated just to keep up with modern times.

“With everything changing and what is going on we’re making sure the text that we’re using today still matches what’s going on in the world in zoning and this city,” Houchins said. “We’re not changing any of the zoning or how the zoning works. We’re simplifying the land use so it makes it more user-friendly.”

Houchins said some areas of the code were “vague” and also needed some clarification.

“We’re saying you can use it in the zone but we’re not defining that and what you can do,” Houchins said. “We cleaned up some of that.”

Commissioner Dave Wilburn asked about companies wanting to expand and if this would change the process. Dunnavant said the same processes are still in place.

“If it’s a lower zone and it doesn’t meet the standards, then they’d have to be either rezoned or they wouldn’t be able to own the property,” Dunnavant said.

Houchins said this will also help city planners when something new or different presents itself to the city.

“It will be a lot simpler than having to go through here, ‘Okay did we put it in the right spot?’” Houchins said.

Commissioner Betty Jo Sydenstricker, who works in real estate, said the changes to the code will be a big help to folks in her industry. Her only complaint was timing.

“Why haven’t we done this before?” Sydenstricker said. It’s easier on the brain. This is a great asset.”

Jackson laughed at Sydenstricker’s comment and said the new system would make things easier for everyone involved.

“Not only for the public but for the staff as well,” Jackson said.

The new system is not final. The project will still need to be reviewed by the Mexico City Council and get final approval. The commission had the minimum number of heads for a quorum. In addition to Sydenstricker and Wilburn, commissioners Mike Beardslee and Michael Myers were in attendance to send the plan forward. The new code language and matrix are not on the Council’s Monday agenda.