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Planning Commission grants preliminary approval, waives groundwater recharge for 601 South Ninth Street parking plan
Summary
The commission granted preliminary plan approval for the 601 South Ninth Street parking facility conditioned on resolving review comments and granted a waiver to groundwater recharge calculations (Section 505‑125). The applicant will return with phased final plans; stormwater calculations tied to the flex-building phase.
The Planning Commission on June 24 granted a preliminary plan approval for a revised parking facility plan identified as 601 South Ninth Street and approved a waiver from the city's groundwater recharge calculation requirement for the site.
Jerome, the planning reviewer, summarized the revised preliminary/final submittal and described a three‑phase construction approach. Phase 1 includes street curve work, catch basin work, curb and sidewalk, and parking lot construction timed to align with a separate 2025 city street improvement contract. Phase 2 envisions the flex building and related sanitary and stormwater components; Phase 3 includes sidewalk installation after a subsidence concern on East Laurel Street is addressed by the city.
Public Works advised the commission that the stormwater outlet will cross North Ninth Street into the storm main and requires a junction box and a Highway Occupancy Permit; staff noted permitting for that state highway connection can take longer than expected. The applicant requested waivers from several stormwater ordinance items and specifically asked to waive the groundwater recharge (Section 505‑125) because old retaining walls and demolition areas make infiltration unsuitable.
Public Works and Jerome recommended approving a waiver for groundwater recharge on the record; the commission voted to grant that waiver. The commission then voted to grant preliminary plan approval conditioned on satisfying the items in the Hawk Valley Associates review letter dated June 19, 2025, and on the applicant returning with final plans by phase that resolve remaining technical comments. Tim (Public Works) noted stormwater calculations for volume control and erosion/sediment control will be required for the flex‑building phase, and the commission and staff agreed that the groundwater infiltration waiver would apply when the applicant returns for Phase 2 final plan review.
Votes recorded at the hearing were unanimous among commissioners present. The applicant and Public Works will coordinate timing for installation of sewer laterals to avoid repaving the new street and will cap laterals for future tapping. The commission also directed staff to confirm technical items in final submittals, including sanitary sewage planning, detention and groundwater recharge documentation, and erosion/sediment control approval.
