Council is Dark Monday, Public Hearing on Planned Development Regulations on the Horizon

The City Council is dark on Monday and is scheduled to return on Feb. 27. 

When the City Council returns a public meeting on a zoning code amendment on planned development regulations is scheduled to be held. 

The Planning Commission last year voted to amend the Zoning Code to eliminate the process of submitting Planned Developments for future projects in the city. 

The motion, which got a unanimous vote went against staff recommendation to modify current Planned Developments Regulations and provide new requirements to address concerns related to “PD” applications. 

Citing the Zoning Code, city staff stated in its report that “PDs are intended for sites with an opportunity to achieve a particular mix of uses, appearance, land use compatibility, or special sensitivity to neighborhood character.” 

Only large sites of two acres or more are eligible for PDs, in order to encourage the assembly of properties and holistic development rather than piecemeal development. Flexibility is provided in order to achieve quality design, encourage variety, and avoid monotony.” 

The commission raised concerns regarding Planned Developments and the ability for projects approved with a PD to deviate from Zoning Code requirements, as well as the limited public participation involved in the process.

The City Council meeting is also scheduled to return to hybrid rules. 

The Council adopted a resolution on Feb. 6 making Council Chambers a ‘hybrid meeting’ site.

Under the resolution, all meetings of the City Council, its Subcommittees and the planning, design, community police oversight Commissions that take place in the City Council chambers will be hybrid meetings — meetings conducted both in-person and streamed live, with viewers able to comment remotely during agendized public comment items.