Lubbock City Council poised to adopt rules, regulations in new Unified Development Code

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The City of Lubbock will soon have a newly revised set of policies to govern all development, both commercial and residential.

The Lubbock City Council is expected to hold a public hearing with the Planning and Zoning Commission on Mar. 22 regarding the adoption of the Unified Development Code (UDC).

Work has been underway since 2019 to review, update and consolidate the regulations believed to be outdated, conflicting or inconsistent. The UDC will govern everything from signs, to lighting, landscaping, carports, fencing, building design, drainage and much more.

Zoning districts are also changing in the UDC, as well. The Council on February 28 voted on an alternate notification method in lieu of mailing notice of the upcoming public hearing to every property owner.

“We would be required to mail notice to every property owner within the city of Lubbock, including those within 200 feet of the property to give proper notice, because the zoning districts are changing in the Unified Development Code,” Kristen Sager, Director of Planning, told the Council.

Sager informed the Council that by a two-thirds vote there can be an alternative notification of the time and place of the public hearing. They unanimously voted to launch an advertising campaign from March 1-22 using social media, various City of Lubbock public notification platforms, newspaper, television stations and more.

The public hearing will be Wednesday, March 22 at 8:30 a.m. inside the Council Chambers at Citizens Tower.

If the City Council votes to adopt the UDC on that day, it can hold a final vote at its next regular meeting on April 11. The UDC would be effective in July.

To see the draft UDC, click here. A printed copy is also available in the Planning Department at Citizens Tower.

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