City planning staff presented a draft code amendment on Nov. 5 intended to streamline review of some conditional-use permits so that, under set conditions, the code official could make an administrative determination rather than routing every qualifying application through the full Zoning and Planning Commission and City Council policy process.

Charlie Sullivan, the staff presenter, said the proposal would aim to “streamline the SUP process and continue to maintain our control to protect the city from incompatible land uses.” He emphasized that a special-use permit (SUP) is a zoning decision and “we cannot streamline that. No delegation. Everything has to go through the process.” Sullivan proposed limiting administrative review to conditional uses in specified zoning districts (C-1 and C-2) or defined commercial corridors, or to buildings where a qualifying SUP or prior policy review already exists and no conditions have changed.

Commissioners and a council member pressed staff on safeguards. Multiple speakers asked whether administrative approvals would remove public notice or public hearing opportunities; staff responded that the proposal would only apply where prior policy reviews exist and where the code official could verify that no new conditions or restrictions apply. A council member asked whether the number of affected applications warranted the change; staff said 34 SUPs had been processed in five years and some subset could qualify for administrative handling.

Public comment during the item was limited. Several commissioners said they were open to a narrow pilot (for C-1/C-2 or along the 620 corridor) but emphasized the need to retain public notice when uses are near residences or schools. One commissioner said the commission should consider applying the change initially in limited geographies and expand only after monitoring how it works.

Staff asked commissioners to record their guidance in the short form provided; staff plans to incorporate the commission’s feedback and return with a draft ordinance for formal recommendation to City Council.