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Council indefinitely defers two industrial zoning bills for Franklin Limestone Road after resident opposition
Summary
After a public comment period in which neighbors presented safety, traffic and environmental concerns and circulated a petition with over 1,400 signatures, the Metro Council voted to indefinitely defer two companion zoning bills to allow additional review.
The Metropolitan Council indefinitely deferred two companion zoning bills that would have rezoned 23.48 acres on Franklin Limestone Road to permit industrial uses, after residents described safety, traffic and environmental concerns and asked for more time for review.
Neighbors living near the proposed site told the council the stretch of Franklin Limestone Road is narrow, lacks sidewalks, carries heavy truck traffic and includes a bridge section they said may not withstand additional industrial use. Several residents said the neighborhood is still coping with recent violent incidents and an asphalt plant nearby and that the proposed warehouse project would worsen safety and quality-of-life conditions. Madeline Fahey, who said she lives in District 28 and near Franklin Limestone Road, asked the council to withdraw BL2025-872 and BL2025-873 and said the bills "would not help to heal our communities and would only further harm them." She also raised concerns about a nearby bridge and repeated accounts of violent crime in the area.
Other speakers said the community had gathered a petition opposing the rezoning with roughly 1,400 signatories. Mitchell Miller told the council that 921 of those signatories are from District 28 — within a few votes of the total number that elected the council member in 2023 — which he said demonstrated strong local opposition. Tana Miller, another nearby resident, asked the council to be cautious about the use of special permits and zoning changes that permit intensive industrial operations near homes.
Sponsor Councilmember Benton moved to indefinitely defer both bills, citing constituents' safety and traffic concerns and steps already under way to examine those issues. The motion was made on the floor and seconded. The council took the voice vote and the chair announced both bills had been indefinitely deferred.
The action is a procedural deferral: no policy change was adopted and no substantive review or mitigation measures were required by the council as part of the deferral. The sponsor said the deferral would allow further work on safety and traffic concerns raised by neighbors.
Votes and next steps The deferral was made by motion of the sponsor and approved without a recorded roll-call tally; the chair announced the bills were indefinitely deferred. The sponsor indicated staff and the district councilmember will continue work with constituents on the traffic and safety questions raised.
Why it matters The deferral halts proposed industrial zoning changes on a corridor that residents characterize as residential and pedestrian-unfriendly. The petition and public turnout signaled strong local opposition; the council’s action preserves the status quo while the district councilmember and city staff pursue additional review.
