Most zoning items to be postponed this week

During a recess in its budget deliberations on Tuesday, City Council went into work session mode to hear from Planning Director Greg Guernsey about Thursday’s zoning cases. Mayor Steve Adler noted that Council members might all be very tired on Thursday, and he anticipated that they would want to put off consideration of contentious zoning cases. Guernsey told Council that there were 22 land-use items that could be considered on consent and two consent postponement items. That would leave eight discussion items that could be postponed either to Sept. 17 or Oct. 1. He pointed out that Council already has a very lengthy agenda on Oct. 1. The items likely to be postponed on Thursday include rezoning of property at 2000 Justin Lane from Single Family 3 to Multifamily Residential with medium density. There is a valid petition against the change. Next in line are two cases called Sunrise Pharmacy on property along Bennett Avenue from Single Family 3 to Neighborhood Commercial. Staff has recommended against the change, but the Planning Commission voted in favor of it. Robinson Investments is seeking a zoning change from Development Reserve and Community Commercial with Conditional Overlay to General Commercial Services. Staff and the Zoning and Platting Commission recommended keeping the Conditional Overlay. Staff is recommending a change to the historic district design standards for property at 614 Blanco St. in the Castle Hill Historic District. There was no recommendation from the Planning Commission because there was not a quorum the night it was considered. Council did not indicate whether it preferred to postpone the items to Sept. 17 or Oct. 1.