06-27-16 Zoning and Annexation - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mike Divita, Planner with Community Investment with Offices on the 14th Floor of the County - City Building, stated they are excited Ms. Kimbrough is interested in investing in having her businesses on Lincolnway West. There is no doubt her business would be an asset to the community, but we are concerned about the longer impact of zoning this property Local - Business. Mr. Divita went over the Master Plan specifics for that area. The proposed rezoning is inconsistent with the land use plan and the Westside Main Streets Plan that was developed through a public process and adopted by the Common Council less than two (2) years ago. Commercial uses tend to do better when they are tightly clustered together and create vibrant pedestrian places which is a key strategy of the plan. In essence businesses build off of each other and in those nodes designated for business, the City is actively working with business owners to coordinate private and public investment to revitalize the area. This particular property falls in the residential node of the plan. Once rezoned the property could be used for any permitted use in the Local Business zoning. If purchased in the future, the property could be developed for a much more intensive use than Ms. Kimbrough proposes here. While a handful of properties between the two commercial nodes are commercial properties, the area is overwhelmingly residential. Five (5) commercial sites can be found among thirty (30) residential zoned properties between the commercial nodes. All the properties behind Lincolnway on both sides of the street are residential as well. Some of these past zoning issues have allowed commercial zoning to be really spread out which actually hurts the commercial businesses. Meanwhile there are still some very nice residential homes on that street and it makes sense to encourage residential zoning in that area. The businesses already there have a legal right to be there but the overall goal is to have them migrate to other parts of Lincolnway. In regards to Palmer Funeral Home, Mr. Divita stated he has had no contact with them and if they were to acquire a neighboring residential zoned property the recommendation would be the same to keep the properties residential. Committeemember Jo M. Broden asked how many of the five (5) commercial properties are currently active. It seems at least one (1) of the properties are vacant. Mr. Divita responded the five (5) are Palmer's Funeral Home, Minority Help Office, Key Bank, Popeyes Chicken and the former D.C. Auto which may be another auto repair shop. Councilmember Karen White asked what timeline the City is looking at for these long -term developments in terms of the Master Plan. She stated from her perspective having this business which is in a line of three (3) homes that are all owned by the same family does nothing to negatively impact the economic wellbeing of the City. A lot of the issues in this area are not that the residential and commercial have been intermingling but a lack of investment on behalf of the City. We shouldn't confuse our obligation to look at the rezoning on face value. Angela Smith wished to clarify that once the property is rezoned it could be used for anything under the Local Business zoning. The day after the rezoning the property could be demolished and without any written commitments or restrictions on the property there is nothing to prevent a business and building that is more out of tune with the master plan than what Ms. Kimbrough is proposing. 5