Council denies ordinance allowing non‑retail uses at 445 Central Avenue, citing broken expectations

The City Council voted Aug. 11 to deny an ordinance and related resolution that would have amended a planned development at 445 Central Avenue to allow non‑retail uses, including medical offices, in ground‑floor space the city historically intended for restaurants and retail. Council members said the city sold the parcel with an explicit plan that the first floor be used for retail or restaurants to maintain downtown vibrancy. Council member Bloomberg summarized the history and the council’s expectations: “The proposal to put a non sales tax generating business into that property is so inconsistent, with the intentions of this city council and the purpose of selling to this particular, applicant to buy the property that I can't vote in favor of this,” Bloomberg said. The applicant’s representative said one tenant (a dermatology practice) had negotiated a 10‑year lease and that the owner had pursued retail and restaurant prospects for years; the tenant, Dr. Rachel Lafferty, told the council she had spent more than a year designing the space and hoped to bring retail items and a café component to the storefront. Council members who opposed the change said the property owner had not executed the vision promised when the city sold the parcel, and they expressed reluctance to trade long‑term vibrancy goals for immediate occupancy. After public comment and debate, the council voted to deny the request. The clerk recorded the denial with a 7–0 outcome. City staff offered to have economic development staff work with the tenant and owner to find alternate locations, and several council members urged that staff continue recruitment efforts for restaurants and retail in that block.