Overview

The Central Avenue Pedestrian Oriented Overlay District Rezoning Study is an implementation step intended to support the policies found in the Central Avenue Small Area Plan. The existing extent of the Pedestrian Oriented Overlay at the intersection of Central and Lowry Avenues stretches from 26th Avenue NE to 22nd Avenue NE. The Central Avenue Small Area Plan recommends expansion of this zoning district to ensure that future development is consistent with the pedestrian focused character of the corridor. City staff intends to bring a recommendation to expand the Pedestrian Oriented Overlay District to the City Planning Commission and the City Council in the summer of 2016.

Recommendations

The recommended extent of the expanded Pedestrian Oriented Overlay District can be found linked in the map below. Recommendations are based on text and maps from the Central Avenue Small Area Plan, existing uses and character of property in the corridor, market conditions, and existing zoning. In addition to map changes, staff is recommended a change to the text of the zoning ordinance that applies to the Central Avenue area that will ensure that future development meets a minimum height standard of two stories. The recommendations are currently in draft form and are up for public comment during a 45-day public review period. Comments on the recommendations should be sent in writing to Joe Bernard.

Timeline

The project timeline includes a 45-day public review period, where staff will field questions and collect feedback from the public regarding the draft recommendations found above. Once the review period ends, any needed changes to the recommendations will be made before they are submitted for the official adoption process. This will include a public hearing in front of the City Planning Commission, where the public is invited to submit official comment and speak to the commission about their support or concerns regarding the recommendations. The Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council on whether or not to adopt the staff recommendations, and they may offer a few amendments to the recommendations for the City Council to consider. From there the City Council will review, if necessary alter, and ultimately adopt the zoning changes, at which point the recommendations will become law.

June 10, 2016: 45-day public review period begins
July 25, 2016: 45-day public review period ends
August 15, 2016: City Planning Commission public hearing ( staff report , )
September 15, 2016: Zoning and Planning Committee of the City Council
September 23, 2016: City Council