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Planning commission recommends rezoning Our Lady of Grace property to public district to allow additions and consolidate lots
Summary
The commission voted to recommend approval of a preliminary plat and rezoning of Our Lady of Grace Church property from R1 to P (public) to consolidate multiple lots, vacate a utilities easement, and allow planned building additions; staff cited federal RLUIPA protections for religious land use.
The Planning Commission on Jan. 7 recommended City Council approve a preliminary plat and a zoning map amendment to rezone the Our Lady of Grace Church property at 707 16th Avenue Southwest from R1 (single‑family residential) to P (public) to consolidate multiple lots and enable planned building additions.
City staff said the plat principally removes an east‑west utilities easement that interferes with the church’s capital plan and consolidates several lots into a single lot (Our Lady of Grace lot 1). Staff noted the property is adjacent to existing public zoning and that the future land use is public/institutional. Staff reminded the commission of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), explaining that religious institutions are entitled to nondiscriminatory treatment and that local regulation must use the least restrictive means to pursue compelling government interests.
Staff recommended approval with conditions limited to submission of a stormwater management plan and a final site plan for development. Sean Weeks of Ackerman Asphalt represented the applicant at the hearing.
A neighbor, Marjorie Taylor, testified in opposition to the rezoning and expressed concerns about increased traffic, the potential for semi‑truck activity associated with a cited food pantry plan, parking and school‑time congestion near Edison Elementary School, and the easement‑vacation process. Staff clarified that the Planning Commission’s action concerns the plat and rezoning only; site‑plan details, traffic mitigation, and any operational issues would be addressed later in the developer’s agreement and site plan review processes.
The motion to recommend approval was made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Iverson. The commission approved the recommendation by roll call.
Next steps: The recommendation will go to City Council for final action. If council approves, the applicant must submit a final site plan and comply with stormwater requirements before construction or other development activity proceeds.
Votes at a glance
- Preliminary plat of Our Lady of Grace addition and zoning map amendment from R1 to P (public): Motion to recommend approval by Commissioner Johnson; second by Commissioner Iverson. Roll call: Iverson — yes; Johnson — yes; Kibler — yes; Menom — yes; Oferdahl — yes; Fontanilla — yes; Wolff — yes; Doctor — yes. Motion passes.
