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Planning commission recommends rezoning near North Lancaster; neighbors press environmental and character concerns
Summary
The planning commission recommended zoning changes along North Lancaster and Columbus Road to better match current uses and promote duplexes; residents raised slope stability, drainage and neighborhood-character concerns and members proposed separating the fire station parcel for faster action.
The Planning & Development committee reviewed a planning commission recommendation (case 25‑06) to update zoning along North Lancaster, 2nd Street, Columbia Avenue and Columbus Road to better align zoning with existing uses and to encourage denser housing in parts of the corridor.
City planning staff explained the proposal would convert some R3 and business zones to R2 (which permits duplexes) in areas where current uses had diverged from original zones, reclassify a private cemetery parcel to open space, and retain existing B1 zoning for the former Dairy Queen parcel (noting drive‑throughs are no longer permitted in B1 where they have ceased operation).
Residents who live adjacent to the corridor pressed the committee with specific concerns. Michael Rinaldi Eichenberg asked whether keeping the former Job and Family Services building as B1 with use stipulations might better protect neighboring yards and views and warned about potential new parking. Michelle Pappy and other neighbors emphasized ridge-line slope stability, drainage that flows into nearby streets, and questions about whether B1 would permit new parking or first-floor residential uses.
Committee members and staff clarified zoning differences: R2 allows two residences on a property (duplexes) whereas R1 does not; B2 prohibits first‑floor residential uses; a one‑year vacancy rule can in some cases force a property to revert to prior use. Several members acknowledged many parcels are currently noncompliant with their zoned use and that the mapping is intended to bring zoning closer to observed use.
Member Alan Swank proposed separating the fire‑station parcel and immediate adjoining parcels from the larger rezoning package so the administration can rezone and lease the station quickly while the committee pursues additional analysis on the mixed‑use Job & Family Services building and environmental issues. The committee agreed to bring the recommendation back to the council agenda on Oct. 20 with further work to address the flagged concerns.
