At the Jan. 13 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, planning director Glenn briefed commissioners on a string of active developments and planning initiatives moving through city review.

Glenn said tax-credit apartments on Tennyson are expected to return to the commission for site-plan review in February. He reported that 7 Brews and an extended-stay hotel have picked up permits or progressed through site approval and that Anderson Town Crossing is under active construction. Glenn also said he has met with two hotel applicants expected to seek approvals in coming months.

On policy work, Glenn said staff is drafting a downtown zoning district in coordination with the Main Street Group and will present a proposal that could include a vacant-building registration to require owners to register and maintain empty buildings. "We'll present the idea of having vacant building registration downtown to make sure that any buildings that are not actively for sale ... they're registered and there's a mechanism in place to make sure that the owners keep them up," Glenn said. He added staff is exploring incentives, including a tax reinvestment zone, to support downtown revitalization.

Glenn framed the work as part of an effort to remain competitive with neighboring cities for national retail and other development while trying to limit negative impacts associated with rapid growth. The director said staff will bring maps and additional details to future meetings so the public can track projects by location.