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Council denies PUD amendment for Crown Uptown Theater occupancy after neighborhood protests
Summary
After protests from neighbors and a split Planning Commission recommendation, the Wichita City Council on Tuesday overrode the commission and denied the applicant’s request to amend the theater’s planned-unit development to expand occupancy.
The Wichita City Council on Tuesday voted to override the Planning Commission and deny a proposed amendment to the Crown Uptown Theater planned unit development that would have increased the venue’s allowable occupancy.
The applicant initially sought a set occupancy of 2,066 persons and later amended the request to allow occupancy to be established by the Fire Marshal. The project drew sustained neighborhood opposition and 16 protest petitions covering more than 46% of the protest area; under city rules that level of protest means approval would have required a supermajority of six of seven votes.
Planning staff reported that current building-code and fire-code calculations set an official occupancy at about 860 people; the PUD itself had previously limited occupancy to 850. Fire Marshal Chris Dugan told council that sprinklers are required by code for assembly (A2) occupancies serving alcohol once occupancy exceeds 300 unless a variance is granted; a variance committee previously allowed higher occupancy in 2018 under specific conditions.
Neighbors cited on-street parking congestion, noise, pedestrian safety and truck staging for shows as core concerns. The District Advisory Board (DAB) recommended denial, and written and in-person protests were substantial. The Planning Commission recommended approval after modifications to PUD language, but the council overrode that recommendation and denied the amendment, with Councilmember Johnson moving the override and denial.
The motion to deny cited detrimental effects to nearby properties, including parking and congestion. Because the council voted to override the Planning Commission and deny, the applicant must wait at least 12 months to reapply unless they submit a substantially different proposal; staff said substantial changes could shorten that interval and would be evaluated by the Planning Commission.
The vote to deny the PUD amendment carried (final tally recorded by the clerk as unanimous after chair corrections).
