Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

March 6, 2026 plan commission meeting. Randy, please do a roll call. Spire here. Cohane here. Tupper here. Albby here. Kate here. And Kak K's and Darcus Johnson are absent. We do have a quorum and it is just a majority in the affirmative for an approval. Good. Thank you, Brandy. I'd entertain a motion to approve the February 19th meeting minutes. So moved. Second. Have a motion. Second. Any further discussion, amendments, changes, concerns regarding the meeting minutes. Hearing none. All those in favor say I.

I. I. Oppos. Same sign. Motion passes. Minutes are approved. Any disclosures of conflict of interest or exparte communication with anything dealing with our agenda today? Hearing none that uh any declaration of new business. Liam, I'll add I'm just going to give a brief update on what we found from our canvas of the shipping containers. We can do that under old business. Sounds good. Public comment submitt. If there's somebody here that wants to talk uh about something that's not on the agenda, please let Brandy know and we will get to that before the meeting concludes. I don't think that's likely approve of the agenda. I'd entertain a motion. So second

motion by Tupper, second by Alby. Uh any changes or addendums to the agenda? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. The agenda is approved. That brings us to 8A, our regular business, which is zoning of Harmony Hill. Go ahead, Brandy.

Thank you, Liam. So this is a reszone proposal for a portion of approximately seven acres of the property included with the Harmony Hill subdivision and and concept plan. So this area has already been annex and zoned and it's been within the A1 agricultural district placeholder zoning designation. And then now if you recall at the last meeting we annex and zoned that twoacre portion that you can see here on the exhibit. Um, I do have my computer plugged in, but um, we'll get that process.

Um, for the record too, Liam, do you want to do check is Yes. Michelle is here and present now.

I think if we mute, if you can mute Michelle. It's really loud. Whatever you're doing and and we've got a quorum if you want to bounce out. I will happily excuse you.

It was just the the airline stuff. Okay. Um she's traveling. So anyways, back to the reszone here and they will be reszoning from the A1 to the R1C compact resident single family residential district. So with that, I'll stand by for any questions. Does anybody have any questions for staff? Pretty prefuncter deal it looks like. Uh uh I will there is a public hearing on this so I'll open the public hearing. Uh if the applicant or representative the applicant wants to come and speak come on down Joy or you just watching.

Perfect. All right. Anybody else here to speak on behalf of against or neutral to the resoning? Anybody online? Going once, twice, three times. Public hearing is closed and I would ask for a motion on resolution number 2026-06. Make a motion to approve resolution 2020 uh 2026 amending the zoning from uh A1 R1C. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. Second by Tate. Thank you. Uh further discussion regarding this amended zoning map.

Okay. All right then. Brandy, roll call, please. Okay. Tate, yes. Albby, yes. Tapper, yes. Cohane, yes. Spy, yes. Kak, six, yes. Zero, no. Motion passes unanimously. That brings us to open public comment. So, if anybody wants to talk about something that wasn't on the agenda, now would be the time to do so. Any updates about fire zoning? No. Okay, good. New business, Brandy. Okay, thanks, Liam. And let's do it as old business. Actually, old business, Brandy,

because yeah, there's nothing new. Um, so if it if you can switch over to my screen. Obviously, we've been talking about the downtown overlay district and the previous variance request to have a shipping container located at the property to the west of the guest house for for more proximity 25st Avenue Northwest. So, we've been uh we presented some amendments to the downtown overlay district at the uh previous meeting and then the discussion led to the concern for allowing shipping containers really in the downtown district overlay district. So Alyssa did a canvas of the downtown overlay district and found that there's actually only four shipping containers that are placed on properties um and none of them have been permitted. So, that's something that we will reach out to ensure that they get removed because they are non-conforming and even if they were pre-existing to the downtown overlay district, which a lot of them are, they still required a permit. So, we will follow up with that. But then I just wanted to bring that to you as the board to learn if you want to take this any further or if we want to leave the downtown overlay district as is to not allow metal over 10% for exterior finishing or siding. Um the the only other thought that I had was if we amended the boundary on the north if you guys see my cursor on the north side of first avenue means that the adjacent properties are more industrial in nature

but again that is uh amending the boundary for for a a specific request. So, it's just kind of a overall discussion. Uh, just a thought of where staff is at

kind board have any comments or concerns? My only comment would be that as far as amendment goes, I would leave that to the city manager and the council for discussion on the uh you know the way ahead for the community and whether that was you know conducive or you know consistent with you know you know where we're looking in the next 10 15 20 years. Uh I agree with you Brandy in regards to its existing state. it is much more, you know, that northern boundary is much more industrial even though it's not zoned industrial, but it's uh it would be as it is now, but that doesn't mean that's where it's going to be potentially, you know, in 10, 15, 20 years. So, I I don't know as a planning commission, you know, our consideration of a map amendment for, you know, this has already been done and studied in detail many years ago. So I would be hesitant from the planning commission to, you know, propose right at this time any kind of map amendment.

And if I could just clarify too, it actually would be the planning commission's place to initiate an ordinance amendment to the zoning map specifically.

I would like to have I'm a little bit hesitant personally to to amend that map. Um, we just adopted it. I do understand that my previous comments were and and like like Commissioner Spire said that that northern part of North First Avenue North boundary is certainly more industrial or quasi-industrial. Um, I think the goal of that of our overlay district is to try to promote proper redevelopment in our downtown that conforms, looks good, basically, I guess, would be the summary of it. In terms of I guess my general question or bigger question is, do we want it's much more simple. Do we want shipping containers downtown? Yes or no? Could they be prohibited or should they be allowed? Uh, and I don't have a real firm opinion one way of that or now. But I think given that apparently we're going to see that or at least requests for that and maybe that was a one-off, I wouldn't mind looking a little bit more deeply into that because I think there are certainly some places where shipping containers I don't care, but there's other places they do seem less appropriate. Is the downtown one of those places where it's appropriate or is it inappropriate? That's the question I have, I guess. In terms of exploring that, I wouldn't mind setting it for a dis for a discussion on a regular agenda item and we can decide whether or not to move forward with an ordinance amendment that either prohibits it or not.

Yeah. Just revert back because the u the firehouse falls in that footprint. Yep. And there's some other, you know, there's some other uh entity stakeholders here that I think have valuable input. So if we do consider it, I would just ask for maybe open that, you know, get some feedback from the others.

Yeah. I don't want to go off halfcocked by any means, but I just I had when the previous thing came up, I had members from the public saying, "Are you really going to let storage containers downtown?" That was the comment that I received multiple times. And so that's what prompted me. Personally, I don't know if I care, but I think we should at least have the discussion. So anyways, any further comments, questions, concerns about shipping containers? Otherwise, I'd ask that we just put it on a regular discussion item for an agenda or or we can propose a prohibition alternatively in for an ordinance that prohibits them in the overlay district and we can either vote it up or down that time.

I had a question. So the way it sits right now with with shipping containers, they could be used for let's say somebody's doing some some construction, correct? So they could be where do we determine that when it becomes a permanent structure.

So if it's a permanent structure they need a building permit and if they're using it for you know temporary construction storage then they have some type of permit associated with that. So if it would be a materials well we changed the permit now of what the actual it's like materials on the street um or a right-of-way encroachment permit something of that sort. So they do need a permit for temporary even. Yes. Okay. It should be associated with some sort of permit if it's Mr. Chairman. Are there any opinions on whether they are a structure or a vehicle?

I I think we got to look at that definition. I this like most things, it's not quite as easy as it always appears, but I don't know. It it would be because it sits on four like on all it sits on the ground where it's not movable unless by different functions. So I think by ordinance it would fit the definition of structure.

I think that's certainly part of the analysis is whether or not I I don't know the definition of it off of the top of my head but I'm willing to trust you Brandy. Yes. Well, and and in previous issues on signage, I know that that was the solution was you put the sign on the trailer and then you park the trailer, right? That's I think clearly defining what a structure is Yeah. not only helps us with shipping containers, but may help us with problems that we don't know are going to come before us in the future. Astute.

And you will be impressed with the definition of structure that we have today. Go ahead. I don't don't know if we officially have that authority, but we we have done that informal ad hoc groups. If anybody's willing to volunteer, Mr. Chair,

go ahead, Miss Tate. Uh we the city just um fund is funding a downtown coalition. Ellen, maybe you have the correct uh terminology for us on that group that was just funded. Yes,

collective. Thank you. Um and I would think that that that group may have some opinions about these things as well. So um we are not operating in a in a silo here. we're part of the overall space. So, I would recommend that we continue to reach out and coordinate with uh other entities that are other groups that are um affiliated and would have an opinion about this and we're not we don't know everything here on this pan on this commission. So,

great idea. That's a and very very good idea, Miss Tate. Um, any further discussion on this? Otherwise, we can sort of break for now, I would think. Okay, good. Any need for executive any other old business, Brandy? Nope. Any need for executive session? No. Nope. All right, then we're adjourned and everyone have a great afternoon. Thanks, guys. Uh, there's lunch downstairs.