At the March 27 meeting, the Planning Commission received a report summarizing City Council actions taken at its March 19 meeting. The report, provided to the commission by a council representative, said council approved a conditional-use permit to allow a daycare center in the rear portion of Lexington Presbyterian Church and unanimously approved a conditional-use permit allowing portions of the Grana (Grand) Building at 1 South Main Street to be used for college/university educational facilities.

Council also unanimously approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow college housing developments in the city's residential zoning districts. The council accepted the commission’s recommendation to change one reserved parking space in front of Murray Hall to 10-minute parking on weekdays.

Following the Grana/Grand Building discussion, the city manager arranged meetings among council, Washington and Lee University and VMI to discuss institutional uses outside the institutional overlay, and the council asked that the Planning Commission postpone further study of institutional-creep zoning techniques until council-level discussions and work sessions occur. Council thanked the planning commission and planning staff for their work on the matters reported.

No action was required of the Planning Commission on the council items at this meeting; the report was informational.