Council members at the July 8 meeting asked whether accepting a bid for the Trivette Robertson property would obligate the city to rezone the site to accommodate a proposed development.

Staff advised that accepting the bid and changing zoning are separate actions: the city would still be required to follow its normal rezoning process if a petitioner requests a zoning change. A staff speaker said the council could not be contractually compelled through a sales agreement to make future legislative zoning decisions.

Eric (staff) explained that a rezoning is a legislative/policy decision and that the purchaser must proceed with the understanding that rezoning remains subject to the usual public hearings and council action: “I don't think you can draft a sales contract with an individual and then buying the Council to make a future in essence is a political or policy legislative decision,” he said. He added that if the deed transfers and the council later declines rezoning, unwinding the sale would be difficult and the purchaser would bear that risk.

Council members asked operational questions about timing and next steps. Staff confirmed the rezoning would follow the same public process the city uses for any petitioner-requested zoning change. The council also discussed practical outcomes: accepting a bid does not automatically trigger a zoning change; the purchaser could complete the purchase and later seek rezoning, but that carries a known risk if council does not approve it.

No formal vote to accept the Trivette Robertson bid or to rezone the property was recorded in the transcript during this discussion; staff advised council on the distinction between contract decisions and later legislative zoning actions.

Background: the bid and related rezoning were scheduled for council consideration at a subsequent meeting; staff encouraged councilors to review the rezoning process prior to taking any action on the sale.