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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />JUNE 2212026 <br />Cody Flannery, Bolton and Menk, provided an overview of the site, noting that a key asset to the <br />site is its location on the lynchpin of transportation options. He provided information on the <br />existing conditions, noting that the site is entirely screened from the highway, and explained that <br />highway visibility should not be a priority for whoever develops the site. He reviewed the 2040 <br />Comprehensive Plan future land use and guidance, zoning districts, shoreland regulations, <br />topographic and natural resources, utility services, and public survey responses. <br />Malone asked for more information on comparisons to other communities and how they made <br />the choice of how to develop these types of sites. <br />Flannery stated that over the past two or three years, they have done many similar projects. He <br />explained that the future land use map and zoning are used as a starting point, and then they <br />look beyond those things as to what the neighborhood looks and feels like to determine if there is <br />a particular place type. He stated that from the topographical data, the existing conditions data, <br />utilities, and existing structures and land uses, and community input, this has been identified as <br />a commercial/industrial area. He stated that they can then move towards how they codify place. <br />He stated that the path is leading more towards a commercial, tax -generating use, rather than <br />residential, but noted that decision will be of the Council. <br />The Community Development Director commented that dining and retail are always the top two <br />options when residents are surveyed as to what they want in their community, and are not unique <br />to this situation. He explained that they must also determine what is practical. <br />President Fischer stated that the data comes across as retail and restaurant are desired, but <br />noted the visibility is also limited for this site, and that is vital to those types of businesses. He <br />asked if the city should go down that path and whether it could work, or whether they should look <br />at other uses. <br />Mike Thompson, Bolton and Menk, agreed that dining and retail are always the top results of <br />resident surveys of this type. He stated that this would be a hard site for a restaurant site <br />selector, primarily because of visibility. <br />Malone asked and received confirmation that the city would control signage. <br />Flannery stated that because the city has control over all the sites, it would dictate what happens <br />in its entirety. <br />Mayor Fischer stated that he would not want to pursue something that would struggle to be <br />successful. <br />Miller asked if the number of responses received was typical. Flannery replied that they did <br />receive good feedback, given that the site is more tucked away and not as relevant to all <br />residents. He noted that if it were a more high -profile site, they would have most likely received <br />more input. <br />President Fischer commented that often there are responses from people who are passionate <br />one way or the other, where these results hit a broad range of the community. <br />lei <br />