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Council holds public hearing on downtown Vaughn Street rezoning amid parking and notice concerns
Summary
Bertram held a public hearing on rezoning Vaughn Street from commercial to a Central Business District to increase downtown flexibility; supporters said it will aid downtown vitality while questions remained about parking, ADA access and costly mailed notices. The council later tabled a related ordinance for further edits.
Mayor Valadez opened a public hearing on a proposal to rezone Downtown Vaughn Street from commercial to a Central Business District to allow more flexible, mixed uses.
Staff explained the change would create a unique CBD designation for that area, allowing the council and future councils to tweak permitted uses without altering zoning elsewhere. In describing downtown's recent revival, one speaker said the change would support local businesses and nightlife, arguing it would let visitors "have a steak dinner, walk to the local winery, and then go to a show at night, and then walk right back to your room." The council and staff highlighted recent parking work behind downtown and said that parking improvements, funded by the Economic Development Corporation, were intended to serve the area.
Several participants raised concerns about whether the rezoning would allow multifamily apartment-style development; staff clarified the draft ordinance would not permit conventional multifamily buildings without future amendments. Questions about Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and how increased density might affect adjacent property taxes also came up. One resident asked specifically about ADA access and parking; staff confirmed parking plans and sidewalks were being considered but that some design details would need further work.
Council members pressed staff on procedural costs and public notice requirements: one council member said the mailed notices for this change cost roughly $1,700 and recommended tabling the ordinance to the second meeting in April to permit targeted edits without repeating the notice mailing. Staff agreed that passing the ordinance now and then changing it later would require redoing the same costly notice process. The council voted to table the rezoning ordinance to the second April meeting to allow time for more detailed drafting on permitted uses and parking requirements.
The matter will return to a future agenda after staff and council refine the permitted uses, parking expectations and any language on short-term rentals or multifamily allowances.
