Welcome!
Fargo LDC 2026 is a project to bring the Land Development Code (LDC) into alignment with the Fargo community’s vision for future growth and development. It is the first comprehensive update to the LDC—which includes zoning and land use regulations—to be undertaken since 1998.
OVERVIEW
A Practical Approach to Growth
Fargo Growth Plan 2024 is Fargo’s official roadmap for how and where development will happen over the next 20 years—a period during which Fargo is projected to grow by another 15,000 households.
Adopted by the City Commission in August 2024, the new growth plan recommends changes to the LDC and other policies to achieve a vision for practical growth, and Fargo LDC 2026 provides a process for making those updates in active consultation with stakeholders from across the Fargo community.
Fargo Growth Plan 2024's vision for practical growth includes:
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Where Fargo Will Grow
66%
No more than two-thirds of Fargo’s growth should be absorbed by greenfield areas, a sharp reduction from previous periods of growth
33%
At least one-third of Fargo’s growth should be accommodated by downtown, core neighborhoods, and other developed areas
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How Fargo Will Grow
Substantially better form and design in neighborhoods and commercial areas
Greater mixing of different land uses and amenities
Greater integration of different housing types
Better connections between neighborhoods
An urban form that expands the range of travel options for Fargo residents
Review Fargo Growth Plan 2024 to learn more about the community’s intentions for future growth
Go to Project Documents to view and download Fargo Growth Plan 2024 and its Executive Summary to learn about:
Fargo’s growth history and recent growth patterns
Principles underpinning Fargo’s vision for practical growth
Four models for context-sensitive development that will influence the LDC update
The growth plan’s commitment to By-Right Development and support for Optimal Growth
TIMELINE
Fargo LDC 2026 will take place between December 2024 and July 2026 and is organized into three phases of work to officially codify Fargo's vision for growth:
PHASE 1
December 2024-August 2025
Code Analysis and Small Area Testing
Phase 1 will include analysis and diagnostics of the existing LDC, policy review, and interactions with local stakeholders about their experience with Fargo’s LDC and development review process. It will also contain a small area testing component to aid the granular translation of Fargo Growth Plan 2024’s place types into districts.
PHASE 2
April 2025-March 2026
Code Drafting and Development
Phase 2 will apply the learnings from Phase 1 toward the development of the new LDC, new zoning map, and recommendations to bring other development-related policies into alignment with the new LDC.
PHASE 3
April 2026-July 2026
Code Finalization, Adoption, and Training
Once draft regulations are prepared, compiled, reviewed, and edited through an initial round of public feedback, the project will proceed to the official public hearing and adoption process spelled-out by the North Dakota Century Code. Phase 3 will also include training of Fargo staff and officials in the proper application of the new code.
Learn more about public engagement opportunities through the planning process.
Review project documents and materials and see public feedback updates as the process unfolds.
Access articles, videos and websites that are useful as background information for growth planning.