Horace Planning and Zoning Commission tables urban/Old Town zoning amendments, approves Main Street single-family fix

The Horace Planning and Zoning Commission voted to table the broader 1776 urban and Old Town zoning district amendments and approved a separate amendment to preserve the status of existing single-family homes on Main Street.

Staff opened the discussion by summarizing recent council action and the proposed changes to urban and Old Town mixed-use districts. The staff member said the city council had considered a pause on applications but that the pause motion failed and that the council approved a first reading establishing a two-story, 35-foot standard on the item that advanced to council ("the secondary motion ... to approve the 1st reading as proposed of 2 stories and 35 feet," staff reported). The staff member described the overlay approach the city is considering and urged the commission to provide direction so overlay mapping can catch up with the ordinance work.

Developer representative Chris Mack of Christiansen Companies, speaking during public comment, said he supported tabling the height/overlay work while overlays are refined: "I support that because I do agree the overlays do need, quite a bit more work because there is so much uncertainty," he said. Commissioners agreed there is value in giving developers clearer direction before moving ahead.

Separately, staff recommended and the commission approved a narrow amendment labeled Section 9 to Title 4 (referencing 4-4.9b). The staff member read the proposed language into the record: "These existing single family residential homes may be repaired, improved, or reconstructed at the property's own discretion." Staff estimated the change would affect roughly five to six houses on Main Street; the goal is to preserve homeowner rights while maintaining protections for undeveloped Old Town parcels.

On procedure, staff and counsel recommended separating the two matters so the residential/Main Street change could move forward to the city council while the broader overlay and height questions are renoticed after additional workshop work. The commission moved and voted to table the 1776 urban and Old Town zoning district amendments pending further overlay development and renoticing. The commission then moved and carried a separate motion to modify Section 9 and forward that recommendation to the city council.

What happens next: staff said it will schedule workshops and circulate availability to commissioners to develop overlay maps and details. The recommended Section 9 amendment will be transmitted to the city council for its reading and action.