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Planning Commission schedules June 23 public hearing on zoning amendments and reviews North Main road‑diet pilot
Summary
Commissioners voted to schedule a June 23 public hearing on proposed zoning ordinance amendments (buffer distances and prohibited uses) and reviewed a temporary road‑diet pilot on North Main intended to improve crosswalk safety near the school; staff will post a 15‑day notice and run a public survey in early June.
The Planning Commission voted to schedule a public hearing for June 23 on proposed zoning ordinance amendments to Chapter 34 (multiple sections) that would adjust prohibited‑use buffers in some districts and to continue work on tracking planned text amendments.
Planning staff presented maps comparing 300‑ and 350‑foot buffer options around a specific church property and noted the commission is keeping a 1,000‑foot buffer from schools in the draft language. Staff explained that adopting the larger buffer would make fewer I1 properties available and that the maps and draft ordinance language will be posted for public review before the hearing. "I put 300 and 350 foot buffers from that property on this map so that you can see what's left," staff said when introducing the maps.
Commissioners agreed to schedule the public hearing and to notify the public under the required 15‑day notice period; staff will circulate a tracking document of planned amendments and include status updates in upcoming reports. The scheduling motion passed on roll call; staff confirmed the earliest hearing date consistent with notice requirements is June 23.
In the staff report, planning staff also described an active pilot program converting lanes on North Main into a temporary lane configuration (a 'road diet') using barrels between 14 Mile and Baker to reduce lanes and improve downtown pedestrian crossings, particularly near a K–12 school. The pilot runs through the week of June 15 and staff intends to publish a public survey in early June and to repeat pedestrian and vehicle counts for before‑and‑after comparisons. When asked about installing a hawk signal at the crosswalk, staff said an automated crosswalk already exists and that previous hawk signal installations on 14 Mile had mixed results; staff did not recommend adding a hawk at this location but said other traffic‑calming options will continue to be considered.
Staff also updated the commission on several active development sites, including multifamily construction at 440 West 14 Mile, ongoing work at the former PNC bank site and progress at the 172 West 14 Mile location. The commission adjourned after no further business was raised.
