Selma council approves moving draft downtown design standards into zoning process

Selma City Council voted unanimously to advance draft downtown design standards and guidelines prepared by Alta Planning and Design, a move staff said will let the city begin a formal zoning text‑amendment process.

City Planner (speaker 17) introduced the administrative draft and consultant Chris Sensenig (speaker 18) highlighted goals including stronger storefront transparency, restoring facade details where feasible, and encouraging awnings and street‑level activity. "A key element is transparent glazing for a majority of the facade to ensure one can see into the business and create visual interest throughout downtown," Sensenig said. The draft includes a minimum awning clearance of nine feet above the sidewalk and a menu of architectural features meant to preserve Selma's columns, cornices and parapets.

Council members raised concerns about the storefront improvement grant's prevailing‑wage requirement and how small property owners will meet certified‑payroll obligations. Mayor Robertson and Public Works Director Hahn urged staff to simplify applications and offer contractor workshops to help local building owners comply. "DIR does have some information that is available that we can share," the City Manager (speaker 8) told the council.

The motion to advance the draft carried on a roll‑call vote. Staff said the draft will be further refined over the next three to six months and that applicants may continue to apply to the storefront grant program under current guidelines while the ordinance process proceeds.

The vote directs planning staff to initiate the zone code amendment and continue stakeholder outreach; the council did not adopt final ordinance language at this meeting.