Density Proposal Increase for Downtown

Keep your eye on what is being discussed at the City about changing the zoning in our downtown. I attended a meeting last night with the Plan Commission, Design Review, and the City Council where I was stunned to see a recommendation that was clearly pointing towards tripling the unit density, raising heights of buildings to 60+ feet and 5+ stories, and reducing parking requirements some 25+%.

Now, when this process started .... I was excited about visioning and master planning for our downtown (currently focused on Sunset foods and North of Elm). All had agreed that some adjusting of zoning needed to occur so additional density could occur within a modest increase in volume of buildings in these B4 perimeter sites. This adjustment would allow owners to use modestly increased bulk to promote redevelopment of these underutilized areas that could become contributing to our community.

What I heard last night could just simply take the lid off of our zoning and push the pedal to the medal on uncontrolled development regulations. I guess it is figured that since it is so hard to make money on any development, certain folks are desperate enough to allow almost anything!

Then again, maybe it is just SOME HP folks that want more of everything and don't appreciate the level of excitement us old timers can handle.  Seriously, the quality of life for us folks that live here and have business here needs to be thoroughly examined on how any change impacts the rest of us. Traffic, retail competition, small town ambiance, and public costs associated with increased development must be evaluated. We must be sure the pill we take for the current slow economy is not a poisoned one. Stay Tuned!!