Moab planning commission forwards negative recommendation on rezoning at 198 East Center Street

The Moab City Planning Commission voted 4-0 to forward a negative recommendation to City Council on proposed Ordinance 2025-02, a zoning map amendment that would reclassify the parcel at 198 East Center Street (parcel 010B130016) from C2 (commercial/residential) to C3 (central commercial).

The proposal, brought by property owner Taylor Lawrence, was re-noticed for this special meeting and remained open for public hearing before commissioners entered deliberations. Lawrence told the commission he had spoken with adjacent neighbors and that the neighbors to the west and the Baileys, the large private landowner to the south, were supportive. Lawrence said he wanted to encourage mixed-use redevelopment on the site and told commissioners, “I assure you there will never be a gas station in that area.”

Commissioners and staff focused discussion on the city—s map-amendment criteria and on whether the requested upzone met the limited, discretionary grounds for a rezoning. Planning staff identified two central concerns: the parcel…