Staff proposes allowing banquet/event halls in light industrial zones by specific use permit; discussion focuses on parking and spot zoning

Ryan, city planning staff, introduced a proposed text amendment to Article 4 of the Unified Development Code to allow a banquet facility/event hall as a specific use permit in a light‑industrial district. Ryan said the change is effectively one letter in the use chart but would enable the city to consider event uses through a discretionary SUP process rather than allow them by right.

Ryan explained the proposal grew from a City Council request and from a property owner example (Ron Hawkins of LandArt) who has an established event hall on a parcel whose current future land use reads as light industrial. Staff framed the amendment as a tool to address conversions of industrial properties to commercial event uses while retaining the ability to impose parking, operating‑hour and other conditions on a case‑by‑case basis.

Commissioners asked about the risk of spot zoning and how parking would be addressed; Ryan said the amendment does not change parking rules but provides a discretionary review mechanism to evaluate parking and other impacts for each SUP application. "So when we were looking at that specific instance... if he was to request commercial zoning... that would actually be spot zoning," Ryan said, adding the SUP route avoids that legal and planning concern. The item will return at the next meeting for a public hearing.