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Commissioners press developer to add real commercial uses in Tribeca Drive rezoning
Summary
Middleton plan commissioners questioned a rezoning application for 11.33 acres along Tribeca Drive, saying a 2,600 sq ft fitness room and a hotel do not substitute for the street‑front commercial the neighborhood plan envisioned. Staff will prepare findings of fact within 60 days.
Alder Charles Meyers testified against the proposed rezoning of 11.33 acres along Tribeca Drive on Feb. 24, saying the plan would produce a car‑dependent, single‑use neighborhood without the commercial space needed for a walkable community. "Approving this development will ensure a car‑dependent incomplete neighborhood in the proposed area of the development," Meyers said during the public hearing.
The commission’s staff told members the applicant added a 2,600‑square‑foot fitness space in Building B3 and shows a hotel that may include a restaurant, but staff flagged multiple unclear elements: commercial square footage was not fully reflected in the development data, setbacks along Tribeca appear to have increased to about 50–70 feet from an existing 10–20 feet, parking stall counts had discrepancies, and a duplicate sidewalk/bike‑path configuration needed clarification. Staff summarized those concerns and said technical items such as traffic, utilities and landscaping would be handled at the site‑plan (SIP) stage.
Fernando Escobar of JLA, the applicant’s representative, said market conditions and a local shortage of housing drove the design revisions and defended the plan as responsive to feasibility. "The hotel itself is commercial," Escobar said, adding that Hilton representatives were expected to visit the site to assess feasibility. Jordan Buyers (JLA) said the team added bike and pedestrian elements and that the fitness space would front onto Tribeca Drive.
Commissioner Kurt Pollson pressed the applicant and staff on parking and public‑hearing scope: staff agreed to verify parking counts and told commissioners that adding new uses not listed in the noticed application could trigger a new public hearing. Pollson also said that without a clearer commercial strategy, the revisions “don’t give us much room … to move it forward.” Commissioner Randy said the development should treat Tribeca Drive as an urban street, seeking tighter setbacks (he suggested about 15 feet) and active ground‑floor frontage or standalone retail rather than embedding limited commercial inside residential buildings.
Staff reminded the commission the plan commission must issue formal findings of fact within 60 days of the public hearing. Staff said they plan to draft findings similar to the previous meeting and may recommend denial of the rezoning request unless the applicant submits substantive revisions within that 60‑day window or brings concept plans for further review.
What happens next: staff will prepare findings of fact and either recommend approval with conditions, recommend denial, or the applicant may submit revised concept plans for the commission’s consideration before the next hearing.
