Decatur board allows indoor recreational center at 715 Summit Drive; staff to consider ordinance change

The Board of Zoning Adjustments approved a use variance allowing an indoor recreational center at 715 Summit Drive SE, reversing the effect of a recent zoning reclassification that removed indoor recreation from permitted uses.

Chad Bowman, planning director, explained that under the previous zoning ordinance the proposed use would have been permitted and that a recent rewrite reclassified the property to an industrial district that no longer lists indoor recreation as allowed. Bowman told the board that planning staff "will be looking at adding indoor recreational facilities as a principal use under light industrial zoning." He added that such conversions are a national trend in warehouse districts.

Dahlia (transcribed also as Galia) Ferguson, representing the applicant, said the facility will be appointment-only and is a paid training business rather than a large public recreation center. "We don't expect much of the traffic there," she said, and told the board the use would be a good addition to the area near 6th Avenue and Highway 31.

Public testimony was closed, a motion to approve was made and seconded, and the board recorded affirmative votes; the motion carried.

Planning staff signaled an intent to study ordinance language to clarify indoor recreation as a principal use in some light-industrial areas, which would affect future applicants but not retroactively change other properties until the ordinance is revised.