05 P&Z Commission Report & Minutes

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Planning and Zoning Commission February 4, 2008 Page 8 Receipt of a request from the Historic Preservation Commission and discussion of and possib/e action on recommending reduced zoning-related fees in the Historic Districts as an incentive to encourage establishment of Historic District Overlays. Lisa Wright advised the Commission that the Historic Preservation Commission was seeking ways to provide more incentives for people who owned historic properties to undertake repair and restoration projects, so they were going to request that the City Council consider allowing for reduced building fees. They also wished to recommend a reduction in the zoning fee by half as an incentive to entice more owners of stand-afone historic homes throughout the city to apply for Historic District (HD) Zoning. The consensus of the Commission that saving historic homes was a worthwhile project for the City. Motion to support the request of the Historic Preservation Commission for the reduction in zoning fees was made by Fran Neeley, seconded by Bill Harris. Motion carried 7-0. Workshop to review and make possib/e revisions to the Comprehensive Land Use Map, Reeves Hayter asked if we could determine what percentage of the map was set aside for each zoning classification. Lisa Wright stated that the program she created the map in could not do that, but if the Commission approved the map as it was drawn, then she would pass it on to engineering to pull over into AutoCAD, and that program could do it. She said she would be able to tell them those numbers at the next meeting. She also stated that, in addition to amending the map, the Comprehensive Plan itself needed to be amended to provide adequate definitions for each classification shown on the land use map. Also, the zoning ordinance also needed to be amended to clamp down on the uses allowed in each district. She said some districts allowed far too many uses. The consensus of the Commission was to wait to accept the map until definitions were completed. Lisa Wright stated she would have those items completed and ready for their next meeting. Receipt of advice from attorney regarding the procedure required to modify the Comprehensive Plan and discussion of and possib/e action re/ated thereto. Kent Mcllyar advised the Commission that they would be required to hold at least one public hearing after 15 days notice in the newspaper. The City Council would have to hold a similar hearing. Reeves Hayter asked if the map should be shown to the Council before Planning and Zoning had its hearing, and the City Attorney stated that he would not recommend that because it could potentially blur the lines as to who developed the map.