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Portage council approves City Center mixed-use zoning, rezones parcel near City Hall
Summary
The Portage City Council voted 6–0 to amend the zoning code to create a City Center Mixed Use (CCMU) district and rezoned a parcel in the City Center Plaza to allow a roughly four‑story mixed-use building with ground-floor commercial and upper-floor residences.
Portage — The Portage City Council on June 10 adopted an amendment to the city zoning code to establish a City Center Mixed Use (CCMU) district and approved rezoning application 24-25-4 for a parcel adjacent to City Hall.
City Manager McGinnis told the council the ordinance change is the culmination of years of planning by the council, the planning commission and staff to encourage a walkable mix of residential and commercial uses at the City Center Plaza. "The action tonight is the culmination of many, again, many years of discussion and direction," McGinnis said. Staff said the change would allow residential uses and the potential for a four‑story building with commercial space on the ground floor and apartments above.
The council held a public hearing; no members of the public came forward to speak on the rezoning. Pete Dame of the community development department described the targeted parcel and said the rezoning was intended to adapt underused office property to more current market needs. "If they wanted to build a four‑story building with commercial on the bottom floor and apartments on the higher floors, they can do that," Dame said.
Councilmember Burns moved to adopt the amendment to Chapter 42 (Article 4, Zoning) establishing the City Center Mixed Use (CCMU) district and to approve rezoning application 24-25-4 to rezone 8120 Southwest Snitch Avenue and a portion of 129 West Center Avenue from B‑3 General Business District to CCMU. The motion passed on a roll-call vote, 6–0 (Pearson, Bridal, Urban, Young, Burns and Miller voting yes).
Council members asked questions about traffic access and compatibility with nearby residential zoning; staff said detailed development proposals and engineering reviews would address ingress/egress and site design at the project stage. Councilmember Urban expressed theoretical concerns about taller buildings next to residential but acknowledged the parcel’s context (including school-owned property) reduced those concerns.
The council’s approval now permits mixed‑use development under the newly created CCMU standards; any concrete project would return for site‑plan review and the required permitting. The city manager said staff expect to bring a complete proposal to council in the near term.
The council also approved a routine consent agenda earlier in the meeting and made one appointment to the local officers compensation commission.
