Planning commission recommends commercial rezoning for three Old Town Josephine parcels

The City of Josephine Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 20, 2025 recommended approval of three rezoning requests from Old Town Josephine LP that would change parcels on East and West Cook Street from single-family residential to general commercial business (other than retail).

City Planner Miguel told the commission the three-parcel case on East Cook (listed in the hearing as Case Z24-0002 and referenced in the motion as 725-0002 in the transcript) is a straight rezoning affecting about 1.8 acres and corrects a mapping error: "we're just ratifying something that happened by accident," he said. Miguel said the change allows any use permitted in the commercial district and that no letters of support or opposition had been received.

Developer Randy Potts, identified in the record as representing Old Town Josephine, said the developer has no defined end user yet but is seeking a high-quality, gateway-style project for the site and "we're looking to do something nice." Commissioners asked about the parcel on the corner where a house had been demolished; Potts said the team has been selective about its first tenant because the site is a gateway to Old Town.

The commission made and seconded motions to recommend approval for each rezoning. For the East Cook group (case cited in discussion as Z24-0002/725-0002), for 913 West Cook (case Z24-0003, described in the record as roughly 2.496 acres), and for 603 West Cook (case Z24-0004, described as about 0.438 acres), the planner recommended approval and the commission voted in favor; staff recorded no letters in opposition.

Miguel said the rezonings fit the city's future land-use plan, which designates the area as a city-center typology intended to encourage commercial or mixed-use development near the outer loop alignment. He said there is existing developer interest in sites close to the outer loop and that site plans are expected over the next year.

The commission's recommendations will be forwarded to the city council for action. No formal vote tallies by member name were recorded in the meeting transcript.