Advocacy Opportunity: NewZO to be voted on July 18

On Thursday, July 18, the proposed New Zoning Ordinance (NewZO) will go before City Council for adoption. Our current ordinance was adopted in 1960. The NewZO is more efficient, more transparent, and is more consistent both with today’s development patterns and our vision for future growth as expressed in the Comprehensive and Strategic Plans.

NewZo supports a more bikeable and walkable Savannah by promoting a healthy built environment. Please join us in supporting this critical update by contacting City Council. Email or call your representatives today and ask them to adopt NewZO on July 18.

To promote thriving neighborhoods, NewZO must promote mixed-use, promote diverse housing types and appropriate housing density, create a connected street network for all users by making Complete Streets our standard, and promote small scale development to support neighborhood stability and character. READ MORE HERE

NewZO Public Hearing this Thursday, June 20

Our current zoning ordinance is outdated and inefficient — after all, it hasn’t been updated since the 1960’s. And a lot has changed since then!

While it has been amended numerous times, it has never been overhauled to reflect the many changes that have occurred. It can be inefficient, redundant, confusing and contradictory among other concerns.

While NewZO isn’t perfect, it puts our community on a much better footing to increase affordable housing options, to reduce the prevalence of food desserts, to grow our local businesses, and (most importantly, we think) to create a bikeable and walkable Savannah.

Want to learn more about NewZO? Check out this video from the City of Savannah or read this article in the Savannah Morning News.

Whether or not you can attend this Thursday’s meeting, I urge you to write to your alderman.

Sample Language:

I live in District x (or neighborhood x). As a parent/resident/business owner/concerned citizen, I support the NewZO. It is far more efficient and clear than our current ordinance. With enCode, NewZO increases transparency. NewZO supports neighborhood goals like stability/reinvestment/livability.
 
NewZO is the result of broad community effort over more than a decade. Please support NewZO now. We cannot afford to wait.

If you are able to attend, please wear blue in support. City Hall is located at 2 E. Bay Street, and the meeting will begin promptly at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 20.

I’ll save you a seat!

Caila Brown
Executive Director