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Planning and Zoning Commission recommends downtown hotel urban renewal plan to City Council
Summary
The commission found the proposed downtown hotel urban renewal plan consistent with the Generation Casper comprehensive plan and voted unanimously to recommend it to City Council; the plan envisions a 120-unit hotel with tax-increment financing to close a financing gap.
The City of Casper Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended a downtown hotel urban renewal plan to the City Council after finding it consistent with the citywide Generation Casper comprehensive plan.
Mark Christiansen of AVI PC, representing the property owner, said the plan would establish an urban renewal area to facilitate redevelopment of a downtown site and public improvements. He described the private project as a 120-unit hotel with “approximately a $26,000,000 private investment,” and said a financing gap is the reason the tax-increment financing mechanism is proposed.
Staff framed the review as narrowly limited to whether the urban renewal plan conforms to the Generation Casper comprehensive plan; staff also noted the plan relies on previously adopted blight findings and that final statutory blight findings required under Wyoming statute 15-9-110 remain the responsibility of the City Council. Staff flagged potential public improvements including demolition of dilapidated buildings, streetscape and drainage/alley upgrades.
Commissioners asked about parking and were told that in the Old Yellowstone District parking is not a site-plan requirement because the city favors density and relies on public parking in the area; staff referenced the district's reliance on public parking and potential valet arrangements with the city parking structure. Martin Axland, speaking for the project team, said the plan "supports investment in an existing downtown location, adds activity to the center of the community, and complements the businesses and destinations that are already there," and asked the commission to recommend approval to council.
A commissioner moved that the Planning and Zoning Commission find the proposed downtown hotel urban renewal plan consistent with the Generation Casper comprehensive plan under Wyoming statute; the motion carried with all members present voting aye and the plan will be transmitted to City Council for statutory blight and financing determinations. Staff said future site design will be reviewed by the Architectural Review Committee and that the planning commission's role on this item is complete.
