A new zoning category has been created in Gloucester which could provide varied and more affordable types of housing options in the county for young professionals.

Following a public hearing Tuesday night in the colonial courthouse, the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the creation of the Residential Mixed Use Zoning District.

According to Gloucester’s planning director Anne Ducey-Ortiz, the proposed district will allow for higher residential densities and mixed densities in and adjacent to the already-designated village commercial areas in Gloucester Point and Hayes and the Court House. She said the requirements of the district focus on form, scale and design while promoting pedestrian scale and connectivity.

During the public hearing, Raymond Suttle Jr., attorney for a group interested in developing a mixed-use neighborhood in the county, said the idea of higher density in these areas will allow developers to provide amenities and quality improveme...