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La Center council adopts zoning change to allow expansion of public works operations; mayor, residents assured park amenities retained
Summary
The La Center City Council on July 9 adopted Ordinance 2025-04, rezoning the parcels that contain the city's public works operations facility from 'Parks and Open Space' to 'Urban Public' so a five-bay shop, covered parking and stormwater improvements can be built. Council also approved an on-call hearing examiner contract to avoid permit delays.
La Center — The City Council voted unanimously July 9 to rezone two parcels containing the city’s public works operations facility, clearing the way for a proposed expansion that includes a five-bay shop, covered parking and paving and stormwater improvements.
The council adopted Ordinance 2025-04 after a public hearing and a staff presentation that said the parcels were placed in a parks and open space category in error and that the proposed urban public zone better matches existing and intended public uses.
Brian (staff member) told the council the parcels in question form a rectangle adjacent to Holly Park and that the project will demolish an existing storage building and replace it with a five-bay shop, add covered parking and improve site paving and stormwater facilities. He said the project footprint stays largely within already fenced city property and will move one building about 15 feet south to improve maneuverability.
The ordinance followed a Planning Commission recommendation to approve the zone change. During the public hearing, residents voiced concerns about potential loss of park area and impacts to ball fields and youth recreation. Al Phillip urged the council to keep the horseshoe-shaped t‑ball area intact. Kimberly Elpin asked about the age of the buildings and whether the prior zoning made the earlier construction legal; staff and the city attorney said buildings predate the 2019 parks code and the change corrects a historic zoning inconsistency rather than create new development rights.
City staff and the attorney said parks and ballfield uses are allowed in the Urban Public zone and that any future changes would require separate public review; the council emphasized the city does not plan to remove existing recreational amenities and said improvements to ballfields are being discussed.
In related action, the council approved a professional services agreement for an on-call hearing examiner, which the city said is needed so land-use hearings and site-plan reviews do not stall when the primary examiner is unavailable.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance 2025-04 (rezoning public works operations site to Urban Public): Adopted by roll call: Councilmember Fox — Yes; Councilmember Casperg — Yes; Councilmember Boyle — Yes; Councilmember Leija — Yes; Councilmember Cervini — Yes. Outcome: approved. - Professional services agreement: On-call hearing examiner (Daniel Kearns, Reeves Kearns PC): Approved (voice vote: all in favor). Outcome: approved.
Why this matters Rezoning corrects a long-standing mismatch between the recorded use (a city operations facility) and the mapped zoning category. That lets the city modernize its public-works facilities without purchasing new land and preserves the public process for site-plan and conditional-use approvals for government facilities.
Council and staff said the change does not alter the city’s ownership or property lines and that any future substantial changes to park layout would require separate public hearings.
What’s next Staff said site-plan and conditional-use review will go to the hearings examiner under the city’s land-use procedures. The hearing-examiner contract will provide backup so scheduled hearings can proceed if the primary examiner is unavailable.
