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Lennox commission to open Main Street land-use study, will meet property owners in January
Summary
Commissioners agreed to study land-use and vacancy issues on Main Street and to hold an outreach session with commercial property owners at their January meeting to explore options including vacancy ordinances and conditional-use changes.
Speaker 1 told fellow commissioners the city council asked the commission to study Main Street land use, focusing on properties that were once businesses but now stand vacant or are used inconsistently with zoning. Speaker 1 proposed outreach to commercial property owners and recommended scheduling the discussion for the commission's January meeting after the holidays.
The study will examine whether current zoning for the Central Business District and adjacent General Business District is being followed and what tools the commission and council can use within their authority to encourage an active, inviting Main Street. Speaker 1 cited a Centerville "Central Business District vacancy ordinance" as a precedent and suggested the commission also review a Sioux Falls model. "I wanna encourage discussion on this topic tonight," Speaker 1 said, urging commissioners to submit questions or research requests before January.
Commissioners discussed options rather than taking formal action. Speaker 2 asked whether enforcement (fines) or voluntary approaches (facade or tenant recruitment programs) were preferable; Speaker 3 noted the Sioux Falls vacancy approach begins with a permit fee structure that increases for prolonged vacancy. No ordinance or regulation was adopted; the agreed next step is outreach: the commission will invite commercial property owners and the local development corporation to a January meeting and prepare draft questions and background materials in advance.
The commission emphasized seeking owner input before proposing deep regulatory changes. Speaker 1 cautioned against advancing policy at a meeting without prior engagement, saying the goal is to be inclusive of property owners' perspectives. The commission will revisit the topic in January and may produce a draft for review after that outreach session.
