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<br />Planning and Zoning Commission
<br />September 5, 1979
<br />Mr. Short had diagramed the commercial zones in the City; this was the current
<br />zoning rather than actual development. He suggested the City develop a map
<br />showing the actual commercial development patterns within these zones. The
<br />City presently had more commercial zoning than it needed or could be developed
<br />within the stip zoning: in addition to that, the City had zoned some 40-acre
<br />parcels in various locations, presumably rezones which had never been developed.
<br />Mayor Karth indicated that, as an example, the area rezoned for the riding
<br />stable had lost its commercial standing under section 6.21 and was now in the
<br />process,of being platted as residential. Section 6.21, according to Mr. Locher,
<br />did not apply to the strip zoning as this was not a !'rezoning," but would apply
<br />to the area around the interchange on I-35E and 14. Mr. Heath felt that the
<br />areas that had developed residential within the strip zoning along Highway 8
<br />should be rezoned that way. Mayor Karth pointed out that Mr. Locher had
<br />warned that there may be problems with this, as some people regarded the commer-
<br />cially zoned land as an investment and rezoning it would reduce the value of the
<br />property. Mr. Johnson said that most of the cities he had contacted previously
<br />did not allow residential use in commercial zones. Mr. Gourley had spoken to
<br />Mr.. Locher, who had said that the City has allowing the R-1 use in commercial
<br />zones in error under the present zoning ordinance. Mr. Gotwald indicated that
<br />in several cities, if an existing residential building for example, burned down,
<br />they are not allowed to rebuild as residential. In general, he felt existing
<br />residential in a commercial zone is a deterrent to the commercial development.
<br />:In reference to the map on commercial, Mr. Short had drawn in the areas des-
<br />ignated in the 1974 land use plan for proposed commercial development. He
<br />had also indicated the areas he felt were logical for commercial expansion or
<br />development, basically the interchanges and the future potential interchange
<br />the City has recommended in the thoroughfare Plan. The Main street -Lake Drive
<br />intersection was also presently a commercial node. Mr. Short asked if residences
<br />being converted to commercial uses was a pattern in that area; there was some
<br />discussion about individual places. The list of influences accompanying the
<br />drawing were existing patterns, accessibility, market, utilities, consolida-
<br />tion, availavility of land, and compatability with adjacent land uses. As
<br />far as developable land, commercial enterprises, depending on their nature,
<br />were limited in the amount of money they, could put into building their site
<br />up.- Availability of land was also a factor; for instance, the residential
<br />development in the strip zoning had already reduced the land available for
<br />commercial use. Compatability with adjacent land uses would be a factor if,
<br />for example, nieghboring residents opposed commercial use. Consolidation of
<br />commercial services was desirable, for two considerations: The transporta-
<br />tion impact, and efficiency of movement. If, for example, along Highway 8,
<br />more residences and commercial development occurred, this would provide more
<br />access points, or disruptions, to the traffic pattern. Any time this traffic
<br />can be channelled on to a perpendicular service road, the better the access
<br />points on and off the highway would be controlled. This traffic problem,
<br />and thus also a safety factor, was one of the major reasons against strip
<br />zoning. The other -consideration, efficiency of movement, would be the idea
<br />of taking care of several shopping trips in one location or small geographi—,
<br />cal area rather than driving to and from several places along a county road.
<br />Kevin Locke indicated that a certain amount of both strip and consolidated
<br />commercial was desirable; gas stations, quick -stop groceries, etc., would be
<br />suitable along the highway, whereas other commercial activities were better
<br />grouped together. The need was to provide a reasonable balance of these
<br />different kinds of use, and insuring that when they do develop, the pro-
<br />blems associated with them are forseen so they could be minimized. Mayor
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