Council unanimously denies Ricco Investment rezoning application for Hamlet expansion

The City Council unanimously denied a long‑running rezoning application (agenda item 25‑006) to rezone approximately 273.89 acres at Ricco Road and Vernon Grove Road from rural low‑density (RL) to Hamlet mixed use.

Mike Morton, the community development director, summarized the history: the application had appeared multiple times before the planning commission and the most recent planning commission recommendation was for denial. He told council the applicant sought a further deferral but provided no new agreement between the existing hamlet HOA and the proposed expansion. After public comment and discussion, a council member moved to deny the application; the motion passed unanimously. Council members and staff explained that a denial creates a roughly six‑month waiting period before the applicant could reapply and that any future application would be evaluated against any UDC changes or elements of the city’s comprehensive plan adopted in the interim.

Why it matters: The property is large and the proposed hamlet‑style expansion raised questions about whether it met the hamlet district requirements, whether existing HOA agreements were in place, and how the proposal would interact with the ongoing comprehensive plan and UDC updates. Residents who spoke during the hearing urged the council to follow the UDC and planning process.

What’s next: Staff said the applicant could reapply after the waiting period; council directed that any future application would be considered in the context of updated regulations and the city’s comprehensive plan.