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Council discusses raising commercial minimum in planned‑commercial zones, staff to refine proposal
Summary
Councilmembers discussed a proposed land‑use code amendment to increase the required commercial component of planned‑commercial developments and to lower maximum building height; planning staff will revise the proposal after council input.
Councilmembers discussed LUCA‑25‑01, a proposed amendment to the land‑use code (Title 10, Chapter 15) to encourage more commercial development in planned‑commercial (PC) zone applications. Staff summarized the proposed changes: increase the minimum commercial portion of a planned‑commercial development, retain a 20% residential long‑term component, and reduce the maximum building height in planned commercial and pedestrian‑oriented commercial zones from 55 feet to 35 feet to match other commercial zone standards.
Planning staff told the council the intent is to boost commercial activity and sales‑tax generation in planned commercial developments. The planning commission reviewed the draft and supported the intent but recommended lowering the proposed commercial minimum from a staff‑proposed 70% to 50% and requested added flexibility for developments that include multi‑story buildings with residential units above ground‑floor commercial.
Council discussion focused on balancing the city’s desire to preserve commercial floor area (to capture retail sales tax) with the practical realities of development. Several councilmembers said they would prefer a clearer distinction in the code for projects that propose two‑story buildings with ground‑floor commercial and residential above (where a 50/50 split could be acceptable), and flexibility or discretionary review if a developer proposes other configurations. One councilmember warned that firm minimums can be workable if designers can meet them but acknowledged developers sometimes design to minimize upfront commercial area.
No final action was taken; staff was directed to return with revised language that would (a) clarify percentages when a multi‑story building includes commercial on the ground floor with residential above, (b) consider a lower commercial minimum such as 50 percent in those cases, and (c) include flexibility or discretionary standards for other configurations.
