Planning staff, applicant outline East Bend Subdistrict plan with design controls and infrastructure questions

Planning staff and the applicant presented a proposal to create an East Bend Subdistrict within the city’s downtown form-based code, saying the change would rezone roughly 47 acres on the East Bank to support a mixed‑use neighborhood with public river access, a 50‑foot promenade, a 75‑foot greenway and required publicly accessible open space.

At a committee meeting, a planning presenter summarized the downtown code’s review process and said the Metro Planning Commission has already recommended the East Bend amendment. "The current application is to amend the zoning code to establish the East Bend Subdistrict within the downtown code and to establish the development standards and permitted uses," the planning presenter said, describing subdistrict standards, general standards and signage rules that will guide future projects.

The staff presentation described a supplemental River Gateway policy that would allow, for certain sites that meet strict design criteria, additional height up to 40 stories. The presenter said such bonus height would require demonstration of "excellence in architecture and site design," as judged by the…