10 - Zoning Change Office District to General Retail - Block 220-A - Lot 1 - 203 N.E. 20th Street - petition of Jesse Bidges

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Item No. 10 TO: Mayor & City Council Gene Anderson, Interim City Manager FROM: Carla Easton, P.E., Community Development Director SUBJECT: ZONING CHANGE - 203 201h NE DATE: February 4, 2020 BACKGROUND: Jesse Bridges is requesting a change in zoning from Office District (0) to General Retail (GR) for his property located at 203 201h NE in order to open a thrift store. The site is approximately 0.3 acres with driveway access on 20th NE and E Price and parking available in the rear of the lot. STATUS OF ISSUE: The future land use plan calls for this site to be low-density residential. Existing land uses in the area include single family residential, church, daycare, dining, tire store, and office space. While zoning principles could support a change to retail when adjacent to existing retail districts, the current use of the surrounding properties remains primarily residential (even if zoned otherwise), therefore a change to retail would not be consistent with the area. East Price Street provides the dividing line where more intensive land uses are promoted closer to Lamar Avenue, and less intensive uses to the north where 20th NE turns to a residential neighborhood. The street access and front parking area on the subject lot is limited along 20th NE, where traffic volumes are high. Depending on the type of goods and services, this site may not be able to provide the appropriate level of parking and safe access from 201h NE where the store front would be. A change to GR would allow a number of different retail uses that may not be compatible with the existing use of the neighboring properties, however the overall zoning of this block has moved toward retail instead of single family, and the future land use plan no longer aligns with the preference of the Planning and Zoning Commission in this area. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of this zoning change. RECOMMENDATION: Approve a zoning change from Office District (0) to General Retail (GR).