Developer asks council to send Honey Farm PUD back to planning commission; council agrees

Josh Brolin, an applicant on the Honey Farm planned‑unit development amendment, told the City of Columbia council on Sept. 12 that he and his team had continued discussions with the fire department and the project builder and were asking the council to refer the proposal back to the planning commission so they could better explain requested variances and adjust building front‑porches and wall heights.

"Since our work session with you all, we have talked with the fire chief…we're working on a final solution with the fire department that's going to make them happy and feel like the variance we're requesting creates a safe environment," Brolin said.

City staff advised the council that a referral back to the planning commission would be the appropriate procedural step. A staff member explained that deferral to the next meeting is possible but that referring the item to planning commission would allow the commission to consider the changes and return the item later, which staff described as the more typical route.

Councilmembers voted to refer the Honey Farm PUD revision back to the planning commission rather than taking final action. The motion passed on a roll call vote with all members present recorded as Aye.

Why it matters: The applicant said the referral will allow additional stakeholder dialogue — including with the fire department and the project’s builder — to resolve concerns about public‑safety measures and streetscape details before the council takes a final vote. The item will reappear on a future council agenda after planning commission review.

What’s next: Staff and the applicant said the planning commission will review the revised materials; the council will consider the commission’s recommendation at a future meeting. The council did not adopt policy changes tonight and took no final zoning action on the PUD amendment.