The City of Greensboro and the county of Guilford are expecting a whole lot of new residents in the coming decade and they are both taking a whole lot of actions to make it easier for builders to meet that demand.

To that end, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to make a zoning change next week that will make it easier to build duplexes in several parts of the county.

The proposed change to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance would allow duplexes as a permitted use in the RS-40 residential zoning district and would also loosen some dimensional requirements for duplexes and single-family homes in agricultural and mixed-use districts.

The Guilford County Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the changes in an 8-0 vote on August 18.

The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hold a legislative hearing on the proposal at its Thursday, Sept. 17 meeting and is expected to pass the measure just as the Planning Board did.

County staff describes the proposal as part of an effort to encourage what is commonly called “Missing Middle Housing,” which includes housing types such as duplexes, cottage units and small apartment buildings that can provide more housing while remaining closer in scale to single-family neighborhoods.

One of the biggest changes would be in the RS-40 zoning district, where duplexes would become a permitted use.

County staff argues that the change wouldn’t necessarily increase the number of dwelling units already allowed on an RS-40 lot because Guilford County currently allows one accessory dwelling unit –or “ADU” – in addition to a single-family detached house.

The staff report states that allowing duplexes would simply provide another form of two-unit housing.

ADUs wouldn’t be allowed in addition to a duplex.

The proposed amendment would also change the rules in agricultural zoning districts by making the lot size and minimum lot width requirements for duplexes the same as those for single-family detached homes.

County staff said there isn’t a significant difference in the impact between, for example, a 2,500-square-foot four-bedroom single-family home and a 2,500-square-foot duplex with two bedrooms in each unit.

Another change would reduce the minimum lot width for single-family detached homes in Mixed Use zoning districts.

The required width for interior lots would drop from 50 feet to 40 feet and the requirement for corner lots would drop from 70 feet to 50 feet.

According to county staff, the narrower lots could allow roughly one additional lot for every four lots.

Guilford County’s recently adopted comprehensive plan identifies duplexes as a recommended type of housing in both Rural Living and Residential areas and calls for changes to county regulations to encourage a greater variety of housing types.

County planning staff said the proposed amendment is consistent with that plan and with the county’s goal of creating more attainable housing options.

Once approved by the commissioners, the changes would amend the zoning rules governing agricultural, mixed-use and RS-40 residential districts in unincorporated Guilford County.

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