Council narrowly adopts rezoning ordinance to allow attached residential units on three parcels

Mount Vernon City Council adopted Ordinance 2025-09 on April 28, changing the zoning classification of three parcels (parcel numbers provided in the ordinance) from R-1A (core residential district) to R-3 (attached residential district). The ordinance passed on a 4–3 vote after a public hearing had been held earlier in the meeting.

Councilmember Miss Keener moved to adopt the ordinance and noted that the council had held a public hearing and several previous meetings on the item. She said the proposal and public input had been reviewed by council and staff. The council’s discussion acknowledged a range of concerns about scale and neighborhood impact; at least one council member said the matter contained "a lot of elements" and that they felt compelled to vote no.

The ordinance amends zoning for parcel numbers listed in the legislative packet and will allow attached residential development where the parcels previously were zoned for single-family core residential use. The record shows the council held a public hearing; no speakers from the public are recorded on the rezoning item in the provided transcript excerpt.

What the ordinance does and next steps

The zoning change legally authorizes R-3 uses on the affected parcels. Any development proposal that requires additional approvals (site plan review, variances, building permits) would follow the city’s usual permitting process. Council did not specify supplemental conditions in its adoption and did not vote to remand the ordinance to another committee.

Clarifying detail: the ordinance text lists the three parcel numbers being rezoned; the transcript records the final adoption tally as 4–3.