Trustees advance zoning rewrite to add finer commercial categories and protect neighborhoods

Trustees reviewed a package of zoning-code revisions intended to give the town more precise tools for placing businesses while protecting residential areas. Planner summarized that the draft creates distinct commercial categories—commercial recreation, commercial light, commercial general and commercial heavy—because the previous single "commercial" designation was too broad and allowed incompatible uses to locate next to homes.

"Kind of the main objective for these zoning regulation revisions are to create better tools to place businesses and specific types of businesses in areas where they most appropriately fit while protecting our residential areas," the Planner said. The proposal also includes provisions on landscaping, tree preservation, buffering, lighting and signage, and staff said the packet reflects multiple meetings and revisions with the planning commission and developers.

Trustees and staff agreed the draft is a starting point that will be revised as issues arise; one trustee urged targeted additions on signs and murals and asked staff to provide a short list of follow‑up edits for the planner. The board did not finalize every line today but signaled support to move the packet forward to public hearing or formal action after additional input from the planning commission and staff.