Public hearing held on Lockwood zoning change as owners seek to separate parking obligations

The City Council held a public hearing April 7 on Bill 9301, an ordinance amendment requested by property owners to modify permitted uses and parking requirements at 231 and 306 West Lockwood Avenue.

Dr. Wagner, director of planning, told council the change would remove references to 306 West Lockwood from the controlling ordinance for 231 West Lockwood after a change in ownership and use. Staff said the 231 site currently has 120 available parking spaces (77 on-site plus 43 off-site shared spaces) and that using current parking standards the building could be adequately parked with 93 required spaces, leaving capacity for separate development on 306.

TJ Redmond, representing WGRE Holdings LLC and the owner of 306 West Lockwood, said the amendment is intended to “clean up” legacy ordinances created when multiple properties were previously co-owned. He said owners intend to pursue independent uses for each parcel and that any future rezoning of 306 would return to council.

A Zoom commenter identified as Mr. Meyer representing residents at 10 Jefferson Road said his building depends on on-street parking for vendors and visitors and reported seeing 25–30 cars using the 304 lot during daytime hours; he warned that removing parking obligations for the Macllum building could displace daytime parking into neighborhood streets.

Council admitted the staff report, the revised proposed ordinance and related exhibits into the record and called for first and second readings of Bill 9301. Council did not vote on final adoption during the meeting; staff will process the ordinance readings according to municipal procedure and return to council if additional action is required.