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Council amends comp plan, introduces rezoning to expand light-industrial area near First Avenue NW
Summary
The council introduced a rezoning ordinance and unanimously approved a comprehensive-plan amendment to reclassify several parcels near First Avenue NW from single-family residential to light industrial, excluding one homeowner parcel after public comment.
The New Prague City Council introduced an ordinance to rezone several parcels near First Avenue NW from RL90 single-family residential to I1 light industrial and unanimously approved a companion comprehensive-plan amendment, clearing a required four-fifths vote.
Staff said the rezoning request, proposed by a private owner, would combine a former Bevcom warehouse parcel with an adjacent lot and would better align an existing bus-garage and city utility storage areas with industrial zoning. "The Bevcom property is a legal non-conforming use," the city planner told the council and said combining the parcels could encourage industrial redevelopment or allow small industrial buildings on each lot.
At the planning commission public hearing, nearby homeowner Kener (first name not specified in the transcript) asked to be excluded; staff and the planning commission recommended removing that homeowner’s parcel and a strip of school district floodplain property from the rezoning. The commission’s recommendation preserved a small island of residential property north of the proposed industrial area.
Mayor Nikolai and council members asked clarifying questions about impacts on comparable sales and property valuation; staff noted the county would value the property based on eventual use and comparable industrial sales rather than residential sales if rezoned. "The zoning itself does not change the tax classification; taxes are based on use," staff explained.
Councilor Maggie Bass moved to introduce the rezoning ordinance for first reading and the council later approved the comprehensive-plan amendment (resolution CC-26-04-06-2) by roll-call vote; the resolution passed 5-0, satisfying the four-fifths requirement for changing the plan from residential to industrial.
Next steps: The ordinance will return for a second reading; the comprehensive-plan amendment is in place and the rezoning process will continue pending the second reading and any additional public comment or petition.
