Bicknell council moves to clarify general plan: commercial development intended along Highway 24

Councilmembers at the Oct. 30 Bicknell work meeting discussed edits to the town's general plan intended to make the town's long-range zoning intent clearer. The proposed language would state that the town's official commercial zone is Highway 24 and that future commercial expansion should be concentrated along that corridor.

Alan, a council member who proposed the language, said he wanted clarity in decisions on rezoning applications: "If someone comes in and they want to build up on Second North in town and they want to put a commercial venture in up there, we have nothing that says ... the commercial zone is," he said, arguing that stating the intent in the general plan gives the council something to reference in land-use decisions.

Council members agreed to schedule a public hearing on the zoning map and a related amendment to the town's building ordinance at the Nov. 18 meeting. Maureen said the map presented to the public will extend the commercial designation to the town boundary and that the hearing will also include the single-sentence ordinance change that clarifies the town's future zoning intent.

The council clarified that property owners may still apply for rezoning; the proposed change is intended to make the town's long-term intent and the basis for decisions more explicit in the general plan and ordinance language. The council also discussed how much linear distance to define as the commercial zone (options discussed included 528 feet or 600 feet from Highway 24 in places) and agreed to standardize the measurement so it is consistent along the corridor.

Next steps: Maureen asked staff to post the public hearing notice and prepare maps showing the proposed Highway 24 commercial zone to the town boundary. The council intends to take public comment Nov. 18 and then forward a recommendation to the appropriate body for final action.