City Council Meeting - 2024-05-06

Detailed briefing

CITY COUNCIL — May 6, 2024 ATTENDEES: Jamie Melky, Kathy Macho, Matt O'Gara, Nancy Rondell and Michael Bearman; a quorum was confirmed. • Council unanimously approved the consent agenda, with five yes votes recorded. The zoning discussion that followed did not constitute a final vote. The mayor clarified that council members were giving consensus recommendations for incorporation into a revised draft. • On triplexes, council agreed to leave the proposed special-approval framework in place for the RN residential neighborhood and B-1 districts and to ask the Planning Commission to weigh in again on the RW residential waterfront district. Under the discussed process, new triplex construction or conversion of an existing building would require public notice, a Planning Commission hearing and review against special-land-use standards. The transcript is less explicit about whether any change was directed for the RM district. • Council rejected the proposed reduction of the minimum dwelling size from 864 to 560 square feet and favored keeping the existing 864-square-foot minimum. Members described 560 square feet as unrealistic or potentially out of character, while acknowledging that the basis for either figure was not clearly established. • For the central business district, council supported a 42-foot building-height limit, down from the current 50-foot allowance. The preferred option allows two stories with a projecting elevator enclosure or three stories if the third floor is set back eight feet. Staff clarified that limited rooftop mechanical equipment could still be allowed if set back and not visible from the street. • Council favored retaining standards for home occupations while requiring review and approval by the administrative review committee rather than the more costly and time-consuming special-land-use process. Home businesses would still be subject to limits concerning operations, signage, nuisance impacts and activity outside the residence. • Council supported removing general permission for outdoor merchandise displays downtown and sending the issue to the DDA for recommendations. Members noted that displays had been allowed during COVID and raised concerns about sidewalk congestion. Future exceptions for events such as sidewalk sales could still be considered. Council also agreed to remove flag lots from the proposed code. • Public comment was extensive and divided. Many speakers sought a pause, direct-mail notice to property owners, stronger historic and open-space protections, and further review of ADUs, agricultural land, planned developments and Redevelopment Ready Communities. Other speakers supported updating the code and said limited infill could broaden housing options without producing major density changes. Worth watching: 1. The Planning Commission’s response on triplexes in the RW district. 2. DDA recommendations on outdoor displays and sidewalk-sale exceptions. 3. Whether broader public concerns lead to additional changes before final approval. Upcoming: Staff must produce and review the revised zoning document before council can consider approval; no date was scheduled. Why it matters: The consensus changes narrow several zoning proposals, but the overall code remains pending and public disagreement continues.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.