Planning commission recommends exempting industrial zones from design standards despite chair's opposition

Wahoo — The Wahoo Planning Commission on June 4 voted to recommend that the City Council amend the City of Wahoo Design Standards to exempt industrial uses in industrially zoned areas from the Design Standards in Section 1.3(F).

City Administrator Melissa Harrell presented a staff comparison of the Zoning Regulations and the Design Standards and proposed the exemption for industrially zoned areas within the Transportation Corridor Overlay. Commissioners raised concerns about enforcement, the potential impact on economic development, the location of industrial zoning within Wahoo, and whether creating an exemption would set a precedent for other zones. Harrell said some concerns could be addressed through zoning choices (for example, not allowing industrial zoning along Hwy 77/92) and noted redevelopment agreements or tax-increment financing could be used to address specific appearance or site-improvement issues.

During the discussion Mayor Johnson spoke in favor of the proposed amendment. Commissioner Wilcox moved to recommend the amendment to the City Council; Commissioner Lentfer seconded. The motion carried on a roll-call vote with Wilcox, Lentfer, Gabel, Fick, Egr and Pearson voting yes and Chair Tracy Pfligler voting no. Commissioners Brooks and Miyoshi were absent and did not vote.

Chair Pfligler said she “firmly believed going down this road was a mistake for the community,” expressing concern about exempting industrial areas from the Design Standards. The commission’s action is a recommendation to the City Council; any change adopted by the council would govern future design-review and permitting decisions in the Transportation Corridor Overlay.

The commission did not adopt specific zoning changes at this meeting; future platting and zoning actions will still come before the Planning Commission and City Council for review.