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Hammond council approves three downtown rezonings and renames East Colorado Street
Summary
The Hammond City Council approved rezoning for three West Morris Avenue properties to align them with downtown zoning and unanimously approved renaming East Colorado Street to Laura Knighton Drive; one separate rezoning was tabled for further neighborhood meetings.
The Hammond City Council voted to approve rezoning requests for three properties along West Morris Avenue and unanimously approved renaming East Colorado Street to Laura Knighton Drive at its meeting.
The council approved requests to rezone 207 West Morris Avenue, 11 West Morris Avenue and 211 West Morris Avenue from MX-C (mixed commercial) to MXCBD (mixed-use central business / downtown zoning). Planning and Zoning had recommended approval of each request. The properties lie within Council District 2 and are inside the Hammond Historic District, the Thomas Morris Street Economic Development Overlay District and the Hammond Downtown Development District.
The rezoning requests were brought by applicant Spencer Rossi. Planning staff noted the changes would bring the parcels into alignment with nearby downtown parcels and overlays. During public comment a nearby resident asked whether the change would allow uses such as gas stations; planning staff explained the MXCBD designation is generally more restrictive than MX-C and would not permit a gas station with pumps as a by-right use — convenience stores without fuel are allowed only where conditional-use processes or other approvals apply.
Councilman Kip Andrews, Councilman Divitario, Councilman Leon, Councilman Wells and Councilwoman Gonzales voted to approve the three rezonings.
Separately, the council tabled a final adoption vote on an unrelated rezoning request for 508 South Range Road (a request by Demetria Carter from RM-2 to MX-C) to allow another meeting between the property owner, neighborhood representatives and the city. The council president said the item will be rescheduled and is expected to return at a later meeting.
The council also approved a proposal by Councilman Kip Andrews to rename East Colorado Street to Laura Knighton Drive. The street-renaming item had been recommended for approval by Planning and Zoning and passed in a unanimous vote.
Votes at a glance: - Tabled: Final adoption, rezoning request by Demetria Carter for 508 South Range Road (RM-2 to MX-C). Motion to table approved; recorded ayes during the motion included Councilman Divitario, Councilwoman Gonzales, Councilman Leon and Councilman Andrews. Outcome: tabled for further neighborhood meeting (return date not specified). - Approved: Rezoning request by Spencer Rossi, 207 West Morris Avenue, MX-C to MXCBD. Outcome: approved (unanimous recorded ayes). - Approved: Rezoning request by Spencer Rossi, 11 West Morris Avenue, MX-C to MXCBD. Outcome: approved (unanimous recorded ayes). - Approved: Rezoning request by Spencer Rossi, 211 West Morris Avenue, MX-C to MXCBD. Outcome: approved (unanimous recorded ayes). - Approved: Street renaming, East Colorado Street to Laura Knighton Drive (petition by Councilman Kip Andrews). Outcome: approved (unanimous recorded ayes).
Council members opened the floor to questions during the public hearings; no additional conditions or amendments to the rezoning motions were recorded. Planning staff said the overlays and the Unified Development Code (UDC) standards will continue to apply to building form and permitted uses in the district.
The council did not set specific implementation dates for the rezonings; staff will record the ordinances and the changes will take effect according to the city’s ordinance-adoption schedule.
