The City Council voted to reject a proposed planned-unit-development revision for the Fairlawn Acres site at 605 Southwest Fairlawn on Aug. 12 after extended public and council discussion about traffic, pedestrian safety and neighborhood impact.

Dan Warner, the city's planning director, summarized the history: the Planning Commission originally recommended approval May 19, but protest petitions and subsequent remand by the governing body led the Planning Commission to reconsider. At its July 21 meeting the Planning Commission again recommended approval but with specific changes: removal of a truck scale and removal of fuel pumps for semi trucks, leaving a convenience store with fueling islands for up to 10 cars.

Council members pressed staff and the applicant on whether those use restrictions obviated the need for rezoning; Warner explained the change increased the C-2 portion of the site and therefore still required rezoning of the parcel to make the PUD amendment legally effective. Council members also disclosed extensive ex parte communications with residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

Several members explained their votes. Councilwoman Valdivia said formal written objections received that day emphasized ten traffic-related reasons for rejecting the project and that she could not support it. Councilwoman Ortiz said she had inspected the area and cited inadequate sidewalks and dangerous crossings used by students at nearby Landon Middle School. Councilman Duncan described the remand process and said he was concerned the Planning Commission had not fully addressed some traffic questions, leaving the matter more complicated than before.

Councilwoman Hofer moved to reject the Planning Commission recommendation; the motion was seconded by Councilwoman Ortiz. The motion carried 9-1, with Councilman Banks casting the lone no vote. The council's vote was to reject the rezoning as presented, which means the property's current zoning remains unchanged. City staff cautioned that if a future applicant seeks a different use or an amendment to the PUD that would allow truck fueling or other uses removed by the Planning Commission, that applicant would have to return to the PUD amendment process and the council would see the matter again.

Residents and nearby business owners spoke at the meeting. Supporters of the project said the proposal would be an investment and bring local jobs and site improvements; opponents cited pedestrian safety, school drop-off congestion and limits in existing sidewalks. Warner said the ordinance before council included explicit prohibitions (as recommended by the Planning Commission) removing scales, diesel pumps for semi trucks, truck repair and overnight truck parking from the allowed uses in the PUD.