People looking to build or buy homes in the north west part of Grand Island could be faced with smaller lot sizes.
Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation Director Marlan Ferguson says affordable housing in Grand Island is in high demand.
"As we bring in industries and businesses through our programs, one of the things we're always concerned about is the housing," Ferguson says.
But developments in the Woodland Park and Westwood Park subdivisions could make that less of a concern.
"The developer is proposing some slightly smaller lot sizes to allow for townhome development," Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity says.
Nabity says the lots wouldn't be significantly smaller than originally planned, with most about 9,000-13,000 square feet. He says that's still bigger than many lots in other parts of the city.
But even a small change could make the land more affordable for developers and those looking to buy.
"If you can squeeze an extra lot in, that decreases the overall cost per lot which makes the lots more affordable," Nabity says.
Though the trend is just reaching Grand Island, Nabity says it's been popular in housing across the state and country for years, because of the struggling economy.
"Across the nation, things have changed so much, it's more costly now to put in that infrastructure, the cost of the water, sewer, the streets, which really increases the costs of those lots," Ferguson says.
Nabity says another example of the increased housing density across the state and country is the popularity of taller apartment complexes.
"If you look at all the new apartments that you've seen built in Lincoln or Omaha, they're all going three or four stories and that really is a function of the land cost and the ability of how many lots you can put on a piece of property," Nabity says.
He says more lots could mean big growth for a community that needs it.
"We certainly need to be progressive and do what we can to get more housing available," Ferguson says.
The Regional Planning Commission's recommendation will be passed along to the Grand Island City Council for its approval.
