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Council refers Main Street and auto‑shop rezoning requests to Planning Commission, tables Baker Court changes
Summary
Council referred two rezoning requests to the Planning Commission—one to rezone a rear residential parcel on North Main Street for CIC redevelopment and another to rezone a city parcel adjacent to an auto‑body business near Walsh University—and tabled potential one-way changes for Baker Court pending resident and safety input.
Council members in the Committee of the Whole reviewed multiple land‑use items on Dec. 2 and referred the proposals for formal study by the Planning Commission.
Staff explained that the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) controls five parcels on the 1000 block of North Main Street and seeks to rezone a small, rear residential parcel to Main Street North to make the block more attractive for redevelopment. Staff noted the parcel is currently less than an acre and would not trigger a stormwater review in isolation, but if combined with neighboring parcels the combined site would exceed one acre and then require stormwater and related environmental reviews. Council voted to recommend the rezoning to the Planning Commission and to postpone final council action until the Planning Commission issues its recommendation.
Separately, staff described a request from an auto‑body business located off Easton that has purchased an adjacent in‑city parcel and requests rezoning from residential to general business to build a separate garage structure. Walsh University — the only immediate neighbor mentioned — was described as not objecting and is said to be in talks to purchase part of the parcel. Council referred that request to the Planning Commission and postponed further action pending its recommendation.
Council also discussed Baker Court, the narrow alley behind Main Street businesses, after a business owner reported repeated conflicts when delivery trucks and cars meet in the alley. Some business owners favored converting the north–south alley to a one-way southbound flow to the Glendale light; other business owners and residents raised concerns about deliveries, resident garage access and emergency access. Staff said they would check with fire, EMS and police for safety input and recommended broader resident outreach before any change; council voted to table action pending further investigation.
What happens next: The Planning Commission will study the two rezoning requests and return recommendations to council. Staff will gather input from emergency services and affected residents regarding Baker Court before council considers any ordinance to change traffic flow.
