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Staff recommends denial of rezoning request tied to above‑ground fuel tank at Clinton Highway site
Summary
Planning staff recommended denying a rezoning and plan amendment for a small parcel at 4101 Clinton Highway after noting the lot’s small size, spot‑zoning concerns and that city fire code permits above‑ground fuel tanks only in industrial zones.
Planning staff told commissioners they recommend denying a request to rezone a small portion of the auto‑service property at 4101 Clinton Highway from CH‑1 (highway commercial) to IMU (industrial mixed use) and to amend the one‑year plan from general commercial to regional commercial.
In a presentation, planner Jesse described the site as a narrow parcel within a long‑established auto dealership and said staff found the requested land‑use change would create an isolated patch of industrial zoning amid a swath of highway commercial. He said the parcel is very small—staff described it as the size of roughly four parking spaces—and may not meet the intent of IMU zoning, which aims to encourage adaptive reuse of larger, older industrial properties.
Staff also noted the applicant’s stated motivation: to install an above‑ground fuel tank to refuel on‑site vehicles. Per the city’s fire prevention chapter, above‑ground fuel tanks are allowed only in industrial zones; an equivalent underground tank would not require rezoning. "Above ground fuel tanks are only permitted in the industrial zones," the planner said while summarizing staff’s safety concerns.
Next steps: staff recommended denial; Jesse said he was happy to answer questions and the commission moved on to other agenda items. Any applicant may revise the request or explore underground tank options that would not require an IMU rezoning.
