Deputy Development Director, Kasie Foulk, shows Housing Committee members Brent Sheldon, R-Ward 1, Regina Brackman, R-Ward 3, and Bill Reynolds, R-Ward 5 and chair of the housing committee, a map of the area that the Department of Development is looking at changing the zoning for near Jackson-Taylor Park. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

The city Department of Development is looking for input into a potential zoning change around the Jackson-Taylor Park area.

Kasie Foulk, deputy development director, said during Monday’s City Council Housing Committee meeting the specific area they are looking at is from 11th Street to Sixth Street. The area is classified as an R-2 district, meaning it can have multi-family residential housing and anything that qualifies under R-1 residential, which is a single-family residential district. She said this means under the current zoning code what can be built in the area is very restrictive and not buildable in a practical sense.

The Department of Development is looking to change this zoning to a C-1, neighborhood commercial district. This will allow for the building in that area of both single and multi-family residences along with very specific commercial structures and businesses.

“So, a gas station would not be allowable in this site,” Foulk said. “Anything that has a harsh environmental impact, like a car repair shop, would not be allowed under C-1. Smaller businesses like closed retail, that would be an allowable structure, like a cafe, just small businesses right along the river is what we’re looking at.”

The department has received some inquiries for area variances in this area, as the structures do not currently fit as an R-2 district. Foulk said the department does not want to start doing spot zoning, so they are suggesting this zoning change for the area for development purposes, whether that is small-scale commercial buildings or residential.

“There are a lot of vacant properties down there currently that are warehouses, so as it sits the R-2 double family residential zone there does allow for storage,” Foulk said. “So the buildings that are there and not really being utilized to the fullest ability are being used as storage facilities or just sitting vacant. Those buildings could be converted or rehabilitated to be used for small-scale commercial or additional residential.”

Foulk said the line of this specific area stretches from where the park sits on 11th Street up to Sixth Street where the Anatomy Warehouse sits, and also stretches over to the river. Foulk showed the Housing Committee a map of the area for reference as to what they were looking at, and an aerial view was also included in the City Council agenda packet for Monday’s meeting. Foulk noted that it is a rather small area in the grand scheme of things, adding that what lots could be transformed in that area with the zoning change would be up to the lot owners.

“It opens an opportunity and discussion,” Foulk said. “That’s really all this is for today, to get this on everyone’s radar.”

Foulk invited anyone with thoughts or suggestions for the area to reach out to the Department of Development, saying she did not want to see something like a gas station go up next to the river where kids could go and end up playing in. Work is continuing with consultants, and Foulk said this is the first step into looking into changing the zoning, with nothing decided yet. Additionally, this is something the department is hoping to get changed sooner than the already planned Comprehensive Plan changes.

The process for this specific zoning area change is a local law change, which Foulk said will include a 20 day public comment and public hearing, also saying that it should be a rather simple process if they do not get a lot of objections and something they should be able to do relatively soon once things start moving. Councilman Brent Sheldon, R-Ward 1, recommended reducing the required sizes for some of the lots in the area as well.

Foulk is bringing the changes before the Planning Commission to their Tuesday meeting, with the hope of opening it up to the required 20 day public comment period on Wednesday.