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Council holds first reading on commercial‑corridor design overlay; tables related planned development amendment
Summary
Council received a first reading on amendments to the Commercial Corridor Design Review Overlay District that would allow administrative approvals for projects meeting design standards and discussed related changes to Planned Development District rules; the planned development item was removed from the table and retabled to May 27.
The Brookings City Council on May 20 held the introduction and first reading of Ordinance 25‑008 to amend the Commercial Corridor Design Review Overlay District and removed from the table (then re‑tabled) a related amendment to the Planned Development District code.
What the ordinance would change: Community Development Director Mike Struck described the proposed amendment as allowing administrative approval of commercial projects that meet the ordinance’s design standards along the city’s four major corridors (Main Avenue, 2nd Avenue, 6th Street and 20th Street South). The change would reduce the current two‑month approval timeline for corridor projects that otherwise must follow the overlay process.
Scope and limits: Struck emphasized the overlay controls design and site characteristics only; underlying zoning still establishes permitted uses. Councilmember Bonnie Specker raised public concerns that administrative approvals reduce public opportunities to comment, and Struck reiterated that use is governed by zoning while design exceptions would still trigger the existing planning‑commission and council review process.
Planned Development District amendment: The related ordinance (24‑035) would require Planned Development Districts within the commercial corridor to follow the corridor design standards; staff requested the council remove it from the table and re‑table it to the May 27 meeting so the two items could be considered together. The council unanimously removed the item from the table and then tabled it to May 27.
Process and next steps: The ordinance comes to council again for a second reading and public hearing; if the commercial corridor amendment is approved, the planned development district amendment would be considered on May 27 to ensure consistent code updates.
Council discussion: Councilmember Holly Tilton Byrne asked whether administrative approvals outside corridors already proceed quickly; Struck said non‑corridor projects typically take 3–5 business days for plan review, with more complex industrial projects taking longer. Struck also noted common exceptions requested by applicants, such as meeting window‑glazing percentages along primary streets.
Status: First reading completed; public hearing and final action remain pending at a future council meeting.
