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Council directs staff to advance change raising industrial impervious-surface limit
Summary
Councilor Stevenson asked staff to prepare code changes to raise allowed impervious coverage in industrial zoning from 70% to 80% (with conditional exceptions up to 90%); council gave direction to advance the rewrite to staff.
Councilor Stevenson proposed adjusting the city’s industrial-district impervious-surface limits so that all industrial zoning districts would allow 80% impervious coverage by right rather than the current mix of 70% and 80% standards. Stevenson said the intent is to avoid land consumption and sprawl "so long as staff signs off" on stormwater, landscaping and setback requirements.
Stevenson emphasized that the change would not waive landscaping rules, setbacks or stormwater obligations. "We're not waiving stormwater requirements," he said, adding that industrial users often need additional area for material or vehicle storage and that higher by-right coverage can reduce pressure to buy additional lots and cause sprawl.
Councilors asked procedural questions (why the standards differ today) and then signaled support for staff to advance the concept into a code rewrite. Several council members said they were comfortable with staff developing the detailed language and returning with a draft. The council's direction was to have city staff prepare revisions for further review rather than to adopt immediate ordinance changes at the meeting.
As discussed, any change would retain existing stormwater, landscaping and setback standards and require developers to meet those requirements; exceptions up to 90% were described as conditional and subject to staff review and sign-off.
The matter will be brought back to council for review after city staff prepare the rewrite and supporting analysis.
