Council refers proposal to make pre‑zoning lots buildable to planning commission

A proposed zoning change intended to make pre‑zoning lots buildable was referred to the planning commission after discussion at the Ironton City Council meeting on June 25.

A council sponsor said ordinance 2638 is aimed at parcels that predate the city’s 1977 zoning code and are currently too small to be considered buildable. The sponsor framed the proposal as a way to increase housing supply, utility connections and property tax income without requiring large‑scale rezonings.

Councilmembers debated whether to handle the change as a single targeted fix or as part of a broader strategic planning effort. One member urged a holistic review of lot size, setbacks and housing types to prepare for anticipated job growth. Another said the ordinance addresses a discrete problem — small, pre‑existing lots — and could be routed to the planning commission for technical review while a larger strategy is developed.

Council moved, seconded and voted to refer ordinance 2638 to the planning commission. City staff said the planning commission has 30 days to respond and that zoning ordinance changes require three separate readings; a zoning ordinance cannot be adopted as an emergency measure.

The council scheduled a strategic planning meeting to follow up on cameras and zoning topics and indicated planners would be asked to analyze how many lots could be affected and what changes to setbacks or minimum sizes would be required. The council did not adopt ordinance 2638 at the meeting; the referral means the planning commission will study the proposal and report back.