Planning staff previews multiple zoning items and text amendments, including CUPs for restaurants and initiatives on home occupations, tattoos and EV charging

City planning staff used the meeting preview to summarize a series of pending applications and to request initiation of multiple zoning text amendments.

Conditional use permit (CUP) applications and staff recommendations presented: - Amazation Cafe and Bistro (northwest corner of Caliente Street and Shore Drive): staff described an existing restaurant seeking an on-premise alcohol CUP for service beyond 5:00 (presentation noted the site is in CC community commercial zoning). Staff said the business has operated without alcohol for nearly a year and recommended approval; capacity on the staff slide was listed as 67. (Staff presenter identified herself as Susan in the presentation; Melissa Garcia, City Planner II, introduced zoning items.) - Chick-fil-A (North Military Highway north of Lowry Road): proposal to demolish the existing building and construct a 5,400-square-foot Chick-fil-A with a double-lane drive-through; drive-through hours in the staff presentation were 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Staff recommended approval subject to zoning performance standards. - Short-term rental at 1126 East Baldview Avenue (Bayview neighborhood): applicant proposes to operate a single-family home as a short-term rental; staff recommended approval subject to conditions in the report and recommended a two-year expiration. The staff presentation noted one past violation in March 2024 for a listing ladder permit; within 500 feet analysis showed 5% of parcels and 4% of residential units would be short-term rentals if approved.

Initiation and code amendment items presented by staff (initiation requested or described): - Home-occupation rules: staff requested initiation of a zoning-text amendment to permit additional home-occupation activities (staff described massage therapy as the initiating request and asked the commission to allow staff to draft amendments). "We are asking you guys to initiate it this month so we can move forward," the staff presenter said. - Tattoo parlors: staff proposed allowing tattoo parlors by-right where they are now allowed by CUP (community commercial, regional commercial, downtown districts and certain PCOs); Riverview Business Association expressed support. - Electric vehicle charging stations: staff proposed principal and accessory-use clarifications, performance standards including a 10-foot minimum distance from side/rear property lines and right-of-way (reduced from 25 feet), and an accessory cap equal to 35% of required parking for the principal use. Staff said they would refine technical language after engineer feedback. - Artisanal production: staff proposed authorizing artisanal production (hand-fabrication, small-scale manufacturing) by-right in specified commercial and downtown districts with a 15,000-square-foot cap, fenestration requirements and a requirement that 15% of gross floor area be dedicated to on-site sales. - Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): staff sought initiation of changes to CUP requirements, maximum size, separate-utilities prohibition, driveway-sharing and additional parking triggers to better align ADU rules with recent policy requests. - Kennels in 20th Street/Colley Avenue PCOs: an applicant requested an amendment to allow a kennel as an accessory use by CUP in the 20 First Street and Colley Avenue PCOs; the Gittinn (GBA) Business Association provided a letter of support.

Other items: staff presented the 2024 CBC annual report summary for adoption; the report reviews planning activity (181 planning and zoning applications and 20 ARB items in 2024) and will be posted to the city's website upon adoption.

No formal Planning Commission final votes on these items were recorded in the preview portion of the transcript; several items were initiation requests or staff recommendations that will return to the commission in future meetings for formal action.