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Commission recommends allowing more retail in PI industrial zone; raises acreage cap to 30%
Summary
The Westminster Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval of ordinance 2025-09, a text amendment to allow specified retail/service uses (hotels, restaurants, service stations) in the Planned Industrial (PI) zone and to raise the retail-area cap from 15% to 30%. Staff framed the change as procedural to speed local approvals.
The Westminster Planning & Zoning Commission on Nov. 20 recommended that the mayor and common council approve ordinance 2025-09, a text amendment intended to make the city’s Planned Industrial (PI) zone more flexible for local retail and service uses.
Zoning administrator (Speaker 3) told the commission the ordinance “proposes to add new permitted uses — hotels, motels, restaurants and service stations — in the PI industrial zone” and would increase the current allowance for local retail from 15% of a development plan’s area to 30%. Staff said the change is primarily procedural: it would allow the planning commission and zoning administrator to approve amendments to existing PI development plans for local retail or service shops instead of routing each amendment to the mayor and common council.
Supporters said the change reflects current market terminology and would give property owners more flexibility. Commissioner (Speaker 2) said adding hotels “is important” and that raising the acreage limit gives PI property owners “more flexibility to have more of those retail uses.” Kelly Schafer Miller (Speaker 4), representing owners of the Carroll County Commerce Center, spoke in favor and said owners expect additional filings related to future phases.
Staff emphasized the ordinance does not yet amend site development standards — such as setbacks, design rules or development-plan requirements — which staff said should be reviewed in a future ordinance. The planning staff recommended a favorable recommendation to the mayor and common council.
A motion to recommend approval (mover: Speaker 4; second: Speaker 1) carried on a voice vote.
Next steps: the commission forwarded the recommendation to the mayor and common council for action; any changes to PI development standards would require a separate ordinance and additional review.
