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Downtown business owners ask planning commission to ease outdoor‑storage and drive‑thru rules
Summary
Several downtown business owners told the Planning Commission that Central Business District rules limiting on‑site storage and uncertainty over drive‑thru policy are creating operational challenges; staff said storage and parking overlay topics will be part of a redline matrix returned for further review.
At the Dec. 16 special meeting, several downtown business owners urged the Planning Commission to amend parts of the new zoning code to address operational needs in the Central Business and Mixed‑Use districts.
Chef‑owner Elliot Bell, who operates Charlie’s in the downtown district, told commissioners that code section 17.170.20 currently prohibits on‑site indoor or outdoor storage in the Central Business District, which he said makes routine operations — such as weekly deliveries of wood for a wood‑burning hearth — impractical. Bell said he supports a permit process that would allow limited, well‑screened outdoor storage compatible with downtown character.
Scott Gay, representing Cliff Family Winery, raised related issues for mixed‑use parcels and called attention to a parcel‑specific concern: a 10‑foot utility easement along the eastern parcel edge that interacts with the new minimum setback requirement and can push building footprints to the easement line. He asked staff to consider whether setbacks and service‑commercial transitions near mixed‑use parcels require adjustments.
On parking and traffic‑oriented uses, staff highlighted a new parking exemption overlay that suspends in‑lieu fees for intensifying uses that maintain existing on‑site parking. Jeff Feeney, a resident, said the existing A&W drive‑thru provides an important service and argued that existing drive‑thrus should not be lost; he recommended the code treat new drive‑thrus as a considered change rather than instituting an outright citywide prohibition.
Staff acknowledged these operational concerns and pointed to a redline matrix of suggested changes (prepared by former senior planner Aaron Heacock) that the commission can use to package and return specific amendments to the City Council for action.
No code changes were adopted at the workshop; staff will compile the comments and bring targeted redline edits and recommendations to future meetings.
