City, consultants launch zoning code update tied to 2050 comprehensive plan; public outreach and downtown overlay highlighted

City staff and planning consultants on Wednesday opened a joint work session to begin updating the city’s zoning code (Title 10) and to align that update with the forthcoming 2050 comprehensive-plan cycle.

The meeting, attended by planning commissioners, council members, city staff and consultants from HKGI, focused on schedule, public outreach, key draft topics (including a proposed downtown mixed‑use district), existing overlay districts for Highway 3 and Spruce Street, and technical reorganization of Title 10. No ordinance or rezoning actions were taken; the session was discussion and direction only.

The discussion matters because the zoning code will implement elements of the comprehensive plan and because some project funds—federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars—must be spent by the end of next year, staff said. That funding deadline is driving an accelerated schedule for portions of the zoning update even as the city waits for the Met Council’s system statement that will set regional population, employment and affordable‑housing targets.

“We are using some ARPA funds for that process, and we need to have those expended by the end of next year,” Tony (city staff) said, explaining why the zoning work must move forward concurrently with the 2050 plan. Consultants Rita Trapp and Beth Richmond of HKGI summarized a multi‑phase process that began with staff work this summer, will move this fall into draft code updates, and aims for an adoption process in late spring or early summer of next year. Beth Richmond said, “This meeting is our typical kind of kickoff meeting to a zoning code update,” and described planned stakeholder outreach at every phase.

Met Council dependency and schedule: staff and consultants emphasized that the…