The Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday recommended that the Town Council approve a text amendment to Planned Development 134 (Southgate) that would permit a new “Commercial 4” street section (including 90‑degree parking on Street E) and remove a maximum block‑face requirement in the SGM‑1 subzone, but the commission excluded the applicant’s request to permit parking adjacent to the central park and required that any parking within 60 feet of a block corner meet fire‑code standards.

Claire Barnes of Planning Services told the commission the amendment would modify internal block standards in Southgate, introduce Commercial 4 (a 90‑degree parking street section), allow certain internal parking configurations that the original PD did not permit, and remove a now‑unused requirement to connect Street C through to the adjacent zone. “If this were to be removed, it would just go back down to whatever the fire requirement is,” Barnes said, describing the practical effect of removing the 800‑foot block‑face cap.

Sam Lawrence of Cross Architects, representing the applicant, argued the changes are needed because the north portion of the development was built differently than the mixed‑use vision in the original PD, including a masonry wall that eliminated shared street connectivity. He told commissioners the proposed 90‑degree parking would increase on‑site parking capacity by roughly 10–15 percent and that corner adjustments tied to fire‑lane radii would add roughly six spaces per corner. “It helps us by acquiring about 10 to 15 percent of added parking in that space,” Lawrence said.

Commissioners expressed a mix of support and concerns during a lengthy deliberation. Several members said they supported the proposal’s central goal—preventing commercial traffic from cutting through adjacent residential neighborhoods—and welcomed the applicant’s outreach to neighbors. But others said permitting parking adjacent to the park would make the park feel “crammed” and could undermine the open‑space character. “In my head, all I see is parking,” one commissioner said during deliberations.

After discussion, Commissioner 10 moved to recommend approval of ZPD25‑0003 with the applicant’s listed items but excluding parking next to the open space and conditioning any parking within 60 feet of a corner on compliance with the fire code. The motion passed on a divided roll call (three nays, four ayes including the chair), and the commission’s recommendation will go to the Town Council for final action.

What happens next: The Town Council will consider the commission’s recommendation in a future meeting; if Council approves the text amendment the specific layout and fire‑lane details will be reviewed at the site‑plan stage and by the fire marshal before construction permits would be issued.