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Belmont approves zoning change to allow events facilities downtown, aiming to help small businesses
Summary
Council amended the Land Development Code to permit events facilities in Neighborhood Center Commercial and Downtown District, clarifying performance standards and limiting special‑use permits to residential zones; applicant said the change is necessary to resume community events at Kataba Mills Antique Mall.
Belmont City Council voted Jan. 6 to amend the Land Development Code to add "events facilities" as a permitted use in Neighborhood Center Commercial and in the Downtown District, and to clarify related performance standards in Chapter 6.
Planning Director Tiffany Pharaoh explained that the amendment cleans up a code inconsistency: the performance standards list referenced events facilities downtown but the permitted‑uses list did not. Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval with modifications to include downtown district language and to require that events facilities comply with Chapter 6 performance standards.
Applicant CJ Vaner, owner of Kataba Mills Antique Mall, told the council that the business has been unable to operate events for about a year and said the ability to host small weddings, fundraisers and community events is essential to keeping the antique mall afloat. "We've provided charitable events...we just wanted to be a place where people could come close by and have an event," Vaner said.
The amendment allows events facilities in the commercial downtown zones subject to the existing performance standards (which address access to arterial/collector streets, parking ratios tied to assembly seats or square footage, and operational standards). Planning staff and planning board discussed but ultimately decided not to require a special‑use permit in the primary downtown commercial zones to avoid placing excessive regulatory costs on small business owners; special‑use permits remain required for certain residential zone situations.
Councilmember Alex moved approval of the ordinance as modified; the motion passed unanimously. Council made the required consistency findings that the change supports downtown economic diversity and community character.
Next steps: staff said they will update the redline text in the Land Development Code and work with applicants on parking and performance standards as projects apply for permits.
Action: Ordinance approving TA‑20245 to permit events facilities in Neighborhood Center Commercial and Downtown District (passed unanimously).
