June 17, 2025 — A petitioner withdrew a zoning petition before a vote that would have allowed an accessory pole barn on a property off East 40 Sixth Street to grow to 6,100 square feet and to exceed the height of the primary dwelling. City staff had recommended denial and board members raised concerns about potential commercial use and public-safety requirements for large gatherings.

Theresa Benson and David Martinez, representing CFS Construction, presented the application on behalf of the property owner (Mejia). "My name is Theresa Benson, and this is David Martinez, and we work for CFS Construction," Benson said when presenting the case. The proposal sought to expand an existing storage/pole barn and to add interior features the presenter described as a large common space and a kitchen intended for family gatherings.

City staff strongly cautioned the board. Renee Rafala, interim director of public works, summarized the staff review and recommended denial. "The city has a lot of the same concerns that the board has expressed," Rafala said, noting the property already contains a 1,622-square-foot primary dwelling, an 840-square-foot detached garage, two sheds (about 200 and 240 square feet), and a 3,700-square-foot storage barn. Rafala said the proposal would increase the barn's total floor area to about 6,100 square feet and that the zoning code's accessory-structure guidance (the "75% rule") limits accessory structures relative to the primary dwelling's size. She also flagged the barn's proposed 26-foot height versus the roughly 16–18-foot primary dwelling height and said the building elevations appear commercial in character.

Rafala told the board she was concerned the large interior layout (chef's kitchen, large pantry, balcony/viewing area) could facilitate special events such as weddings or quinceañeras. She pointed to the city's special-event permit rules for gatherings of 100 or more people that require a permit and specify security: "For every 50 people, you have to have 1 officer," she said, and advised the board that she and staff recommended denial.

Board members expressed similar reservations. One board member said, "I do have some concerns about it," questioning whether the structure would be used as an event center or to expand a car-repair business already operating on the property. The petitioners acknowledged the size and said they might scale the project down if it did not pass.

Before the board voted, the petitioner withdrew the application. Staff and board members advised the petitioner that a revised proposal, additional meetings with city staff, or a rezoning application would be appropriate next steps if the owner intends a commercial or larger-scale use.

Key numerical details discussed at the hearing: the primary dwelling is about 1,622 square feet; existing accessory buildings include an 840-square-foot detached garage, two sheds (about 200 and 240 square feet), and a 3,700-square-foot storage barn; the proposed total pole barn area would be about 6,100 square feet; the accessory-structure "75% rule" in local code was cited by staff as a limiting standard; the proposed barn height was described as about 26 feet compared with roughly 16–18 feet for the house.

The board took no formal vote on the petition because the petitioner withdrew the application during the meeting.