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La Center moves ahead on downtown and Timon Landing subarea plans as county study puts expansion at risk
Summary
City staff and consultants presented draft subarea plans, zoning changes and an implementation list intended to support housing, jobs and a new downtown plaza. Council and the planning commission voiced concerns about reduced parking, vendor rules, and a Clark County resource-land study that could block proposed UGA expansion.
La Center — At a joint meeting April 23, city staff and planning consultants from WSP presented draft subarea plans and accompanying zoning and code changes for downtown and Timon Landing intended to speed redevelopment and meet 2045 housing and jobs allocations assigned by Clark County.
The subarea work includes a new downtown mixed‑use code, a new high‑density residential district, a downtown gateway overlay, and a Timon Landing neighborhood commercial overlay; code changes would also rework parks/open‑space zoning, allow limited concessionaire uses near a proposed waterfront boardwalk and reduce a minimum parking requirement by up to 10% in a small downtown area. "For land use, the primary goal here with supporting policies for downtown is to concentrate mixed use density in the downtown core to support access to diverse housing opportunities, local shops, and town history," said Alec, a WSP planner presenting the draft updates.
Why it matters: The city faces a state and county requirement to show capacity for housing (including units affordable at ≤80% area median income) and jobs through 2045. City staff said adopting the subarea plans and code now would enable grant applications and implementation projects even as the county’s review of agricultural/resource lands may delay or constrain the city’s planned urban growth boundary (UGA) expansions.
Code and zoning highlights
- Mixed use and residential: The draft downtown mixed‑use code would promote vertical mixed‑use buildings (ground‑floor commercial with residences above). WSP proposes a new high‑density residential district that applies many existing medium‑density (MDR) design standards to higher densities.
- Minimum project size: The existing 2.5‑acre minimum project area for medium‑density residential would be removed in the subareas so smaller downtown parcels can develop; other minimum lot‑size rules would remain in force.
- Commercial overlays: A downtown gateway…
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