Council tables rezoning and preliminary plat for Clark Lane hotel subdivision after neighbor raises access concerns

Columbia City Council on Monday voted to table consideration of a rezoning and preliminary plat for the Armstrong Subdivision, a proposed multi-lot development at 5320 Clark Lane that includes a 2.56-acre parcel the applicant seeks to rezone from Mixed Use Neighborhood (MN) to Mixed Use Corridor (MC) to allow a hotel.

The council's action followed a public comment from counsel for an adjacent property owner who said the subdivision as proposed would leave his client's land functionally landlocked unless the new street (Tarkio Court) is extended or an irrevocable access easement is recorded. The applicant told council he is willing to negotiate access but did not want the development pushed back for an extended period. Planning staff and the applicant had recommended approval and noted traffic mitigations, landscaping and buffering standards in the Unified Development Code.

Why it matters: The item involves both land-use policy (rezoning from MN to MC) and subdivision design for roughly 9.18 acres, including the 2.56-acre rezoning area adjacent to existing multi-family housing and a Schnucks shopping center. Neighbors and the adjacent landowner raised concerns about emergency access, traffic, sidewalks and preserving connectivity for an in-holding parcel.

What council did: After public testimony from Caleb Culvert, attorney for the neighboring owner, who asked for tabling to finalize a private connection agreement, and from the applicant (Mike Patel) who opposed a long delay, the council voted to table both Council Bill 1-22-25 (rezoning) and Resolution 91-25 (preliminary plat) to the July 7 council meeting. Staff had prepared draft language that the final plat must either include (a) an irrevocable public access easement a minimum of 60 feet wide (plus utility easements) extending from Tarkio Court to the neighboring tract, or (b) an extension of Tarkio Court to the property line to connect to the adjacent Logan Acres tract.

Details from staff and applicant: Planning staff described the site as roughly 9.18 acres in total, with the rezoning request limited to a southern 2.56-acre portion intended to accommodate a hotel; the planning and zoning commission recommended rezoning 6-2 and prelim plat 7-1. The applicant's traffic study modeled a hotel (approximately 100+ rooms in the study) and called for a left-turn lane into the site and a right-turn-only signal arrangement from the new access point to manage Clark Lane traffic. Staff noted sidewalks will be required along the new public street and on the Clark Lane frontage for developed lots.

Next steps and conditions: Council signaled it expects an enforceable access solution before final plat approval. Staff advised several compliance options: require the access easement or require the physical extension of the public street to the property line and show it on a revised plat. Council preserved the ability to approve the plat after the agreement is finalized or to relist the application if the agreed conditions are not met.

Ending: The council set the item for the July 7 meeting and asked staff and the parties to finalize wording for a required access easement or street-extension condition prior to that hearing.