Council reviews Grand Park 'MGP' zoning district to implement $1B master plan, seeks clearer oversight language

City staff presented Ordinance 26‑32 to create an MGP (Master Planned Grand Park) zoning district that would implement the Grand Park Master Plan and a regulating plan developed with Spec DMC and Perkins and Will. Ryan Collingwood of the Community Development Department said the district is intended to guide a multiyear development that staff and developers estimate could represent about $1 billion in private investment over the life of the project.

Planners described permitted and prohibited uses, sign and development standards, and architectural guidance that would largely be enforced through master development agreements with the two lead developers identified in the presentation, Keystone and Cardin Associates. Janelle and Lauren explained a new approval framework intended to speed up smaller design decisions by allowing the director to authorize minor variations (less than roughly 15 percent departures in quantitative standards), while major variations—such as changes to street alignments or large quantitative changes—would return to the Plan Commission for review.

Council members asked for clearer language on oversight and reporting. One councilor suggested quarterly informational reports so councilors would be routinely briefed on director approvals; another asked that the ordinance explicitly prevent the MGP district from being applied to the downtown redevelopment area. Staff agreed to refine the draft language and to consider a consistent reporting cadence.

The item was scheduled for an APC public hearing on July 6 with potential return to council on July 27. No vote on the ordinance was taken at this meeting.