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Council sends nightclub zoning text amendment back to planning commission after school‑buffer concerns
Summary
City planning staff proposed a zoning text amendment to allow outdoor activities for nightclubs, taverns and similar uses in the D‑1 mixed‑use district and to remove a 250‑foot distance requirement from schools and places of worship. Council members raised concerns about proximity to youth‑serving facilities and asked staff to return the amendment to the Planning Commission for further review.
A planning‑department text amendment that would allow outdoor activities at nightclubs, dance clubs, taverns, private clubs and lodges in the D‑1 mixed‑use district was returned to the Planning Commission after council members raised concerns about school buffers and neighborhood impacts.
Planning staff (Williams) told the council the change would also remove a reference to a non‑land‑use city code provision and take out an explicit distance requirement between those uses and schools, places of worship and residences. Williams said the amendment is intended to accommodate mixed‑use development in the recently adopted D‑1 district, where residential and commercial uses can appear in the same building.
Several council members pressed staff on the removal of a 250‑foot distance requirement from schools and whether the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) would have adequate authority to deny locations harmful to adjacent properties. One member asked whether the change would allow establishments to locate immediately adjacent to a school or youth facility, including Boys & Girls Club‑type organizations.
Another council member requested a map of the D‑1 district to better understand the geographic scope; staff said D‑1 is a small area and that the BZA would still consider neighborhood impacts such as noise, lighting, traffic and hours of operation when reviewing uses in B‑2 and UB‑2 districts.
After discussion, council voted to ask staff to refer the amendment back to the Planning Commission for further consideration of the concerns raised. The referral passed with no recorded opposition in the meeting record.
The council also deferred a companion ordinance so the two items can be considered together when the Planning Commission returns a recommendation.
What's next: Staff will return the amendment to the Planning Commission for further review and mapping before the council considers a second reading and public hearing.
