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Commissioners back a reuse recommendation focused on single‑family, owner‑occupied homes
Summary
The planning commission reviewed a proposed Reading Redevelopment Authority reuse resolution that staff and commissioners narrowed to cover single-family dwelling reuse and discussed wording to discourage rental use; the measure will be revised for a vote next week if updates are provided in time.
The Reading Planning Commission on June 16 reviewed a proposed reuse-recommendation resolution for the Reading Redevelopment Authority and asked staff to tighten the language to match the city’s zoning definitions and to emphasize owner-occupancy.
Commissioners said the draft should explicitly reference “one‑family dwelling” language used in the zoning ordinance so the resolution applies only to single‑family homes and not to known multi‑family or commercial buildings. One commissioner recommended removing or revising sections that could be read as encouraging rental use: “I would take the rental language out of the resolution,” a commissioner said, urging the commission to favor owner‑occupied reuse when the RA takes properties.
Staff described the proposal as an administrative tool that would allow the planning office to auto‑recommend reuse under clear criteria so eligible properties need not appear before the commission for each approval. The change would not be a zoning amendment or ordinance — it is a planning commission resolution recommending automatic approval letters for parcels that meet the criteria.
Commissioners discussed process mechanics, including formally designating a staff member to sign recommendation letters so the 30‑day review window is not delayed by staff absences, and they agreed staff should align the resolution’s terminology with the zoning ordinance’s definitions for housing types.
If staff can deliver a revised draft in time, the item was expected to appear on the commission’s agenda next week for a formal vote; otherwise, it will await the subsequent meeting.
