The St. Paul City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a set of zoning code changes that will make it easier for residents to build tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, and cottage clusters.

The rule changes aim to allow more medium-density housing throughout the city, which officials say is facing a shortage of units to serve its growing population. The ordinance — which city staff described as a set of minor tweaks to streamline planning and remove barriers to building certain types of housing — paves the way for conversations about more significant zoning changes later this year.

“People have talked about ‘missing middle housing’ as being something that American cities could provide more of or support,” St. Paul Planning Director Luis Pereira said in a presentation to the council earlier this month. “We’re talking about the lower-density scale of that — duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, cottage or courtyard housing options. They typically are smaller in scale and … fit in well with pretty much all of our predominantly residential areas.”

Article Star Tribune St. Paul zoning changes pave the way for smaller homes, cottages clusters