Council approves Goodland Town Center annexation, zoning plan that could allow thousands of new homes

The council approved multiple measures related to the Goodland Town Center: a two-part annexation and related zoning and future land-use updates to create a plan development district covering roughly 800–890 acres that staff described as a mixed-use town center and mixed-residential area.

Tiffany Bull, deputy city attorney, and planning staff explained the annexation and zoning components. Staff said the mixed-residential character area covers about 550 acres with capacity for up to 4,500 dwelling units overall in that area (including a cap of 1,500 multifamily units in neighborhood commercial nodes), and the mixed-use character area covers about 360 acres with a town-center core intended to include a civic park and at least 50 acres of walkable public space. Planning and Zoning recommended approval (vote reported as 6–0 for the Goodland plan), and council closed the public hearings and approved the annexations and zoning changes.

Council and staff noted letters in the record: staff said five letters of opposition had been submitted raising concerns about property values and taxes, though not all letters included detailed comments. Council member comments noted that some parcels lie within surrounding jurisdictions and that conditions in the plan include transportation and stormwater improvements to be constructed prior to operation of proposed developments. Planning staff said the plan allows a variety of housing types — single-family, townhomes, paired homes, multi-unit and mixed-use buildings — and caps neighborhood commercial nodes at 20 acres each.