Council adopts Central Townage plan into code, approves zoning and map changes

The Independence City Council voted to amend the city comprehensive plan, development code and maps to incorporate the Central Townage plan, moving policy language and zoning changes into the city code.

City Planner Bridal Evander presented the staff report and told the council the changes primarily update the future land‑use map, add clarifying language to the comprehensive plan, and adjust development‑code footnotes to reflect the Central Townage plan. “Once that happened, we then went through the various, codes, plans, and maps to essentially create the policy to establish a policy framework that would, as it adapt truly adopt the plan into our standards,” Evander said.

Evander said many changes are technical or clarifying: revising the future land‑use map in a small area near Townage Road, distinguishing a transitional mixed‑use zone from the mixed‑use pedestrian‑friendly commercial zone, and allowing stand‑alone apartment buildings in specified mixed‑use areas when they are not oriented directly on a major street. Evander said the planning commission unanimously recommended approval and staff mailed notices to affected property owners during the public process.

Councilors asked about the recent state comments from the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and a related communication from Representative Sharp. Evander and staff said DLCD had signaled a shift in expectations about conducting a local wetland inventory for land added to the urban growth boundary in 2009, a requirement the city had not completed. Evander told councilors the DLCD position does not apply to the parcels changed under this action and characterized the DLCD correspondence as a broader policy shift that could affect future annexations.

After discussion the council made a motion to approve the code, map and plan changes as presented in the staff report and then to read and adopt the ordinance by title. The motions carried on recorded votes.

The ordinance adoption will update zoning on several parcels in and near the Central Townage area to the city’s mixed‑use pedestrian‑friendly commercial and transitional zones, which staff described as the city’s most flexible zone allowing single‑family, duplex and commercial uses with more flexible setbacks and higher lot coverage potential than low‑density residential zoning.

Councilors who spoke during the debate expressed both support for the planning process and reservations about potential high lot coverage and density behind commercial frontages. Council members asked staff to continue clarifying how future developments would be regulated under the new code language.