Council approves Hyde Park Square planned development after hours of testimony

The Equitable Growth and Housing Committee approved a zone change to a planned development, allowing a mixed-use project at the surface parking site south of Hyde Park Square that the developer says would include a 90-room boutique hotel, roughly 120 new apartment units and about 350 parking spaces.

The committee voted to accept the concept plan and development program statement on a 7–2 vote: Mark Jeffries, Victoria Parks, Catherine Owens, Greg Walsh, Albie Krammerding, Amisha Albee and John Nolan voted yes; Vice Mayor Kearney and Council Member Johnson voted no.

The vote followed more than five hours of public testimony, a multi‑hour City Planning Commission hearing and a lengthy staff report. Committee Chair Mark Jeffries invited public comment at the start of the meeting and described a process that included public comment, an administration presentation and questions. Senior city planner Andrew Halt told the committee, “Today, you were reviewing a zone change to a PD. You’re looking at things such as uses, setbacks, and heights.”

Why it matters: The site is currently CNPB (Commercial Neighborhood Pedestrian Business) zoning inside the Hyde Park Urban Design Overlay District (UDOD). Under the base zoning the area’s height limit is 50 feet; the approved PD concept would allow buildings up to about 85 feet at selected points and requires subsequent UDOD and final PD design reviews before any…