Hutchinson Street PUD zoning case withdrawn; planning staff advises conditional zoning language when it returns

The council approved a motion to withdraw a zoning application that had sought to reclassify property on the west side of Hutchinson Street at the Meadow Lane intersection from C1 neighborhood commercial to C1-PUD (planned unit development).

City planning staff explained to the council that the city recently added a conditional zoning application category that staff believes is preferable in some cases to a full planned unit development. Staff said the conditional zoning district “is really similar. It's still you can put conditions on a use that would not otherwise be allowed in that zoning that base zoning district, but they don't have to provide public amenities.” Staff suggested that when the case returns the ordinance should read the C1 conditional zoning district rather than a PUD.

MPC asked that the ordinance be withdrawn so the applicant could work with staff and return with the conditional zoning approach. Council motioned to withdraw the item (listed in the agenda as Ordinance 47, zoning case 24-193-C) and the motion to withdraw passed 6-0.

The transcript records that staff and the applicant discussed stipulations about fleet access and that the property was not adjacent to residential districts; staff said the location “doesn't immediately abut any residential districts,” noting no households attended a neighborhood meeting. Staff also noted the applicant was comfortable with the MPC-recommended C1 related conditions.

The item may return to the council with a conditional zoning ordinance prepared to reflect the specific conditions agreed between staff and the applicant.