Council clears first reading to rezone 1300 Lehi Street for neighborhood‑serving commercial use

The council gave first reading to an ordinance rezoning 1300 Lehi (Glenn) Street from Heavy Industrial (HI) to Neighborhood Commercial (NC), a down‑zoning the planning staff and the council said is intended to support small, community‑oriented businesses as the area transitions around the Anderson Mill redevelopment and upcoming multiuse trail.

Planning and development director Maurice McKenzie described the property as an existing commercial structure near the old Anderson Mill site and multiuse trail corridor. The applicant, Andy Gibson, told council he intends to redevelop the building for a coffee shop or café when market conditions allow but asked for the NC zoning now to move the permitting process forward. Gibson said, if commercial use is not immediately viable, he may occupy the building as a residence in the interim while he explores conversion to residential or mixed use.

McKenzie told council that neighborhood commercial zoning permits multifamily uses subject to RM‑10 guidelines and that duplexes and similar residential conversions are allowed; single‑family use in NC zoning is less explicit and may require additional confirmation with building and zoning staff. Planning commission recommended approval, citing that the down‑zoning reduces heavy industrial uses that may not be compatible with the anticipated neighborhood redevelopment.

Council members discussed timing and whether to wait until the applicant has a concrete redevelopment plan; the applicant said he is prepared to live on site temporarily and that rezoning now would allow him to begin improvements. Council approved first reading and directed staff to clarify whether eventual single‑family occupancy would require a future zoning action.