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Commission hears first readings for micro‑unit density change, lighting cleanups and a marina overlay; Pence Park site plan tied to street abandonment
Summary
Staff previewed first readings for a downtown transit overlay that removes a 750‑square‑foot micro‑unit half‑unit density provision, external lighting standard cleanups, and a marina overlay; the Pence Park site plan was presented alongside a required street abandonment to be completed before final site-plan approval.
City planning staff briefed commissioners on several land-use items set for first reading or later action. The downtown transit‑oriented-district amendment would remove language allowing units of 750 square feet or less to count as half a unit, which staff said would make density counting uniform and more equitable across developments.
Planner Gabe explained the intent: by removing the smaller-unit half‑count provision, each unit would be counted the same as other units to encourage fairness in density calculations. "In essence, by removing this that each unit will count as the same as any other unit," Gabe said, adding the change is intended to simplify the density standard.
Staff also proposed a cleanup to external lighting standards to streamline waiver processes and introduced a larger marina overlay with a map included in the packet. Commissioners asked to see the map zoomed for clarity and raised questions about the geographic scope of the overlay.
Finally, staff described a site plan for Pence Park (multi‑purpose fields, office/storage) that depends on an ordinance to abandon parts of SE Fifth and SE Sixth Avenues; because the abandonment must be approved first, staff said one related item will be tabled to the second reading.
