Developer withdraws rezoning proposal for Sedgwick site; planning committee sends matter to public hearing without recommendation

Homewood 'The planning and development committee on Aug. 4 reported that applicant Mike Moran asked to withdraw a rezoning application for the western portion of the Sedgwick property, and the committee voted to send the item to the advertised public hearing on Aug. 11 without recommendation.

Mayor (presenting) said Moran notified staff he would not pursue the project because of litigation and reputational concerns; the mayor described the proposal as a revenue-producing project that would have used private funding rather than city funds but said the applicant no longer wished to proceed. "He noted that he no longer wanted to pursue it and try to continue to answer frivolous and very quickly dismissed lawsuits," the mayor said, adding he regretted the withdrawal.

Committee members voted 5-0 to circulate the matter for the scheduled public hearing (advertised) and to send the item to council without a favorable recommendation because the applicant had withdrawn. The planning commission had previously voted 6-0 in favor before the applicant's withdrawal.

Action: committee sent the matter out without recommendation pending the advertised public hearing; the public hearing remains set and the item cannot be dropped until the hearing is completed per required notice rules.