Josephine planning commission backs three rezoning recommendations along Cook Street

The City of Josephine Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 20 recommended approval of three rezoning requests from Old Town Josephine LP that would change multiple parcels along East and West Cook Street from single-family residential to general commercial business other than retail.

City planner Miguel told the commission the first case involves three parcels totaling about 1.8 acres at 101, 103 and 107 East Cook and said staff is effectively ratifying the map to match actual land use after a "scrivener's error" showed one corner parcel as commercial on the city's zoning map even though it had never been rezoned. "This is a straight rezoning to commercial," Miguel said, and recommended approval.

Randy Potts, representing the applicant Old Town Josephine LP, told commissioners the developer had no final tenant lined up but was aiming to "do something unique and something the city would be proud of" for the corner parcel and discussed broader plans to assemble adjacent tracts. Commissioners and staff also discussed interest from commercial developers along the corridor tied to the anticipated outer loop alignment.

The commission moved and voted by voice to recommend approval of the three rezoning items: the East Cook parcels (Case number described in the hearing as Z24Dash0002Dash101, Comma 103 And 107 East Cook), the parcel at 913 West Cook (Case number Z24003), and the parcel at 603 West Cook (Case number Z20Four-zero04). Miguel told the commission no letters of opposition or support had been received for these cases.

Why it matters: The rezonings align small parcels with the city's future land use plan that designates the area for city-center or mixed-use development and could make it easier for commercial or mixed-use projects to move forward. Miguel said rezonings can help assemble parcels so developers can propose coherent site plans once the outer loop alignment and other infrastructure questions become clearer.

The commission's recommendations now go to the City of Josephine City Council for final action. The hearing record and staff materials will accompany the council packet; no council vote occurred during the Nov. 20 meeting.