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Staff previews land‑use code cleanups; commissioners flag data‑center and commercial‑corridor issues
Summary
In a follow‑on work session the Planning Commission discussed cleanup of the land‑use matrix, including adding definitions for small data centers, clarifying prohibition of tattoo/piercing in certain tables, and rethinking which financial institutions and other uses should occupy limited commercial corridors.
After tabling the Ashbourne rezone, the commission stayed for a staff‑led work session on a separate text amendment to the city’s land‑use tables. Scott (S6) explained the code cleanup aims to reconcile the codified land‑use matrix with the form‑based code and to add clearer definitions for certain uses.
Scott said staff will consider how to treat small or “micro” data centers (which may be containerized and have variable power and water needs), clarify that tattoo and piercing parlors were not intended to be permitted in certain city‑center zones, and revisit whether stand‑alone bank buildings or tenant‑bank uses should be prioritized in corridors such as 2500 North. “We’re an infill community,” Scott said, arguing that limited commercial acreage means the city must weigh long‑term tax and vibrancy tradeoffs when assigning permitted uses.
Commissioners provided early feedback: some suggested allowing small banks as tenants inside mixed‑use buildings while restricting payday lending and large warehousing uses; others asked staff to research how neighboring jurisdictions addressed micro data centers and to consider power/water thresholds as part of a definition. Scott said staff will draft specific language and return to the commission for formal review.
