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Urban Design Commission recommends SPUD approval and boundary change to Scenic River Overlay
Summary
At its Aug. 27 meeting, the Urban Design Commission voted to recommend approval of a simplified planned unit development at 1003 S. Pennsylvania and to remove 1900 S. Portland from the Scenic River Overlay Design District; a consent item at 3232 W. Reno was also approved and one administratively approved case was reported.
The Urban Design Commission on Aug. 27 recommended that the Planning Commission approve a simplified planned unit development at 1003 South Pennsylvania Avenue and voted to remove 1900 South Portland from the Scenic River Overlay Design District (SRODD). The commission also approved a consent-docket item at 3232 West Reno Avenue and heard a brief administrative approval report for a property on Northwest 23rd Street.
The actions came during the regularly scheduled meeting convened by Acting Chair Amy Apatone at City Hall. Staff presented each case and recommended the commission forward favorable recommendations to the Planning Commission.
Staff told the commission that SRCA2500009, a consent-docket item at 3232 West Reno Avenue, had been reviewed against applicable development regulations and the Scenic River Overlay Design District and was consistent with those regulations; the commission approved it on the consent docket.
On SPUD01772 (1003 South Pennsylvania Avenue), planning staff recommended that the commission forward a recommendation of approval to the Planning Commission for a simplified planned unit development. Staff said the site includes an existing structure built before the Scenic River Overlay Design District regulations existed and that the master design statement requests two primary departures from current SRODD expectations: allowing wholesaling/warehousing uses (uses more typically permitted in I-1 zoning) and permitting alternative setbacks because an existing building footprint does not meet the SRODD standard that 80% of a building front be built at the front property line. Staff said the proposed warehouse addition is located behind the existing structure and that building it at the front would not be feasible given site conditions. The commission voted to recommend approval to the Planning Commission.
Mitchell Moore of Johnson and Associates, the applicant’s representative, told the commission he had "nothing to add, but [was] happy to answer any questions." No substantive changes to the staff recommendation were made during the commission discussion.
On SPUD01775 (1900 South Portland), staff recommended removing the site from the Scenic River Overlay Design District boundary. The presentation noted the site has a long-standing trailer-leasing use that predates the SRODD, is several blocks from the river, and sits at the southern edge of the current overlay boundary near Southwest 20th Street. Staff said that if the SRODD boundary were reset today the site likely would fall outside the overlay; the commission voted to recommend that the Planning Commission remove the site from the SRODD and proceed with the rezoning process as outlined in the staff report.
David Blocks, listed from 525 Northwest Eleventh, identified himself as available to answer questions on the Portland Avenue case.
The commission also received the administrative approval report for UDCA2500017 at 2117 Northwest 23rd Street as an informational item; staff noted the case had been approved administratively and the sign for the property is going up.
The commission noted procedural deadlines: new applications were to be submitted by 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26 (as stated in the meeting), and revisions for continued projects were to be submitted by Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. The commission said it will meet next month and will communicate regarding attendance and quorum.
Votes at a glance
- SRCA2500009 (3232 W. Reno Ave.) — Approved on consent; staff recommended approval based on consistency with applicable development regulations and the Scenic River Overlay Design District.
- SPUD01772 (1003 S. Pennsylvania Ave.) — Commission recommended approval to the Planning Commission of a simplified planned unit development that includes requested uses related to wholesaling/warehousing and modified setbacks because of an existing building footprint.
- SPUD01775 (1900 S. Portland) — Commission recommended that the Planning Commission remove the site from the Scenic River Overlay Design District boundary and proceed with rezoning considerations.
No vote tallies were read into the record for these items during the meeting; the minutes record each motion as passed.
