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Council holds second readings for river-buffer/mixed-use and planned unit development code changes
Summary
On June 9 the Garden City Council held second readings by title only for Ordinance 10-57-25 (buffer zones, mixed-use changes, river protection and rezone of R-3 to Mixed Use Residential) and Ordinance 10-56-25 (new Planned Unit Development code). Both advanced; neither was adopted at this meeting.
Garden City's City Council held second readings June 9 for two major development-code items: Ordinance 10-57-25, which would create citywide buffer zones, river-protection standards, and shift the current R-3 district to a new Mixed Use Residential designation; and Ordinance 10-56-25, which would replace the city's PUD (planned unit development) regulations.
City legal counsel and staff described both items and noted they remain in the review process. The council opened deliberations and then voted to read both ordinances by title only for their second reading; neither ordinance was adopted at the meeting and both require further action.
On Ordinance 10-57-25, staff said the draft updates include new rules for buffer zones, frontage setbacks, activity nodes, outdoor lighting, landscaping, mixed uses, and a new Boise River Natural Resource protection article. The city attorney noted the changes to R-3 amount to a rezone and emphasized transparency in the ordinance title and decision document. He also said the decision document references comprehensive plan policies on river protection, including an objective to "protect native plants and trees and prohibit any activity that would destabilize the river bank," language he cited from the comp plan to support the river protection provisions.
Council members emphasized public engagement and cautioned that changing the use table for R-3 could allow additional commercial or institutional uses in some neighborhoods if not carefully applied. One council member warned that, absent adoption of RM or other neighborhood-specific designations, the broader mixed-use allowance could permit uses such as artist studios, laundromats, limited-service restaurants or small-scale manufacturing in areas currently zoned R-3.
For Ordinance 10-56-25 (PUD code), staff proposed additional language for the third reading to address concerns about blank walls where nonresidential or multifamily buildings abut single-family homes. Development Services staff suggested adding provisions that would require visual separation, landscape screening, or architectural treatments such as windows or artwork in those situations; the council asked staff to include the draft language in the third-reading materials.
Votes at this meeting: Second reading (by title only) of Ordinance 10-57-25 — advanced (roll call recorded yes votes). Second reading (by title only) of Ordinance 10-56-25 (PUD) with direction to include proposed blank-wall language at third reading — advanced (roll call recorded yes votes). Neither ordinance was adopted; further readings and decision documents will follow.
Next steps: Staff and legal counsel will prepare updated draft decisions and (for the PUD item) proposed code language for the third reading. The council indicated it will not finalize changes assigning new designations to properties until the remaining code changes are ready to be applied to specific parcels.
