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Council rezones former fabrication site on SR‑50/12th Street to general commercial over neighborhood concerns
Summary
The council approved Ordinance 2025‑011 rezoning a six‑acre site at SR‑50 and 12th Street from PUD/industrial to C‑2 General Commercial, 4–1. The applicant said the prior planned distillery concept is no longer viable and sought straight commercial zoning to market the site to typical Highway 50 users.
The City Council voted 4–1 on June 24 to approve Ordinance 2025‑011 to rezone approximately six acres at the northeast corner of State Road 50 and 12th Street from an industrial/planned unit‑development designation to C‑2 General Commercial.
Kurt Henschel, Planning and Development Services Director, told the council the vacant parcel had previously been granted a PUD in 2019 for a distillery, tasting room and restaurants, but the applicant explained that restrictive state caps on craft distilleries and pandemic impacts made the distillery plan infeasible. Attorney Jimmy Crawford and owner Tom Kovacs told the council they sought standard C‑2 zoning to allow conventional Highway 50 commercial uses and to make the site marketable.
Nearby residents and advocates urged the council to require a site plan, traffic study and design standards before changing zoning; speakers cited traffic, compatibility with adjacent neighborhoods and the property’s visibility as the city’s west gateway. Planning staff said site review and any conditional uses would still be subject to review and county or state driveway permits where applicable.
Councilmember Strange voted aye; Councilmember Myers and Councilmember Howard supported the measure; Councilmember Peterson voted no. The ordinance passed 4–1.
Ending: The applicant said he will come back with site plans and work with city staff on access and design as users are secured.
