Form-Based Residential Zoning

[bravado]

It looks like one of the conditions of Cambridge taking the federal money for housing was to simplify existing residential zoning. Based on the EngageWR posting, the city has 16 (!!!) different residential zones and is proposing to go to 4 (see below).

EngageWR Post

PDF Presentation

The City's current Zoning By-law came into effect in 1987 and is very restrictive and a barrier to housing. The current By-law places properties into discrete zones based on dwelling type and density. Currently, there are 16 unique residential zones, each with individual standards such as permitted dwelling type, maximum density, frontage, lot area, and setbacks.

City staff are working towards completing a new comprehensive Zoning By-law that will reflect current planning practices and community standards.

Part of this new approach is supporting what is referred to as "missing middle housing".

Form based zoning is intended to be incorporated into the new comprehensive zoning by-law in residential areas. Staff are considering the following 4 new zones which would apply City-wide:

RR - Detached, private services
R1 - Detached, attached and multiple (3 storey maximum)
R2 - Detached, attached and multiple (4 storey maximum)
R3 - Attached and multiples (5-15 storey maximum, subject to tall building standards)

I
I'm definitely planning on going to the public meeting about this, but as always with local government in Ontario, I am desperately looking for the catch. Cambridge did not implement the fourplex bylaws that other cities did and yet it looks like this is basically it in some ways. 

Do the engineering and urban planning experts have any thoughts? Sometimes this stuff thoroughly goes over my head.