Commissioners direct staff to combine OT‑1 and OT‑5, remove construction equipment dealer from Old Town district

The Fenton Planning & Zoning Commission discussed and gave staff direction Nov. 6 to draft changes to Old Town zoning districts intended to better align uses and code structure.

Staff summary and proposed changes: Amy (city planning staff) summarized the draft, which recommends combining OT‑1 and OT‑5 because the districts share objectives to encourage mixed commercial and residential uses and pedestrian character. Staff proposed removing 'construction equipment dealer' from OT‑5 (citing existing equipment dealers such as Fabick and K and K Supply as incompatible with small‑scale Old Town development) and allowing pharmacies up to 2,000 square feet to be permitted in the combined district. The draft also proposes considering rezoning or renaming OT‑2 and OT‑3 to reflect a commercial planning character and possibly relocating their regulations into the commercial section of the code.

Commission concerns and direction: Commissioners raised concerns about extending temporary recreational‑vehicle use along the Merrimack River but staff said the code language limits that use to river‑abutting lots and that steep banks likely limit practical RV access. The commission agreed it was appropriate to remove construction equipment dealers from OT‑5 and favored combining OT‑1 and OT‑5 (rezoning OT‑5 parcels into OT‑1) with notice to affected property owners. For OT‑2 and OT‑3, commissioners favored renaming and moving their regulations into the commercial section of the zoning code rather than a parcel‑by‑parcel rezoning, noting that a full rezoning could trigger greater public feedback.

Public comment and next steps: Marla Macley, a Main Street resident, spoke in support of tidying the districts and offered to assist as the amendments advance. The commission did not vote on text changes that evening; staff will return with fully drafted amendments and rezoning materials for future public hearings and potential votes.

Why it matters: The recommended edits aim to make the Old Town zoning code more internally consistent, reduce incompatible industrial/commercial uses in small‑scale pedestrian districts, and clarify which districts are intended to be commercial versus mixed‑use. Draft amendments will be subject to public notice and further review before any rezoning is finalized.