Staff briefs MDD on Town Center small‑area plan updates; zoning and land‑use changes head to council hearing

Staff provided an advisory workshop on the Town Center District small‑area plan and related implementation steps.

The presentation reviewed planning-area boundaries, the role of the planned public plaza and parade route, and options for parking strategies that will influence achievable building density. Staff highlighted that the small‑area plan was prepared with McAdams/GFF and that elements have been refined through Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) review and Planning & Zoning discussion.

Staff said Planning & Zoning had concerns about adjacency to single‑family 2.5‑acre lots and recommended lowering residential density and building heights in areas the MDD had initially envisioned for higher intensity uses. The recommended revisions remove residential allowances on a 10‑acre parcel, add a required 50‑foot landscape buffer on the east side, and reduce allowable heights; staff said those amendments will be part of the March 23 public hearing at town council.

Staff reminded the MDD that the outcomes of the council hearing will determine whether the draft future land‑use and zoning changes are adopted or returned for more study, and noted the board’s role in coordinating MDD actions (funding, design assistance and incentives) with the adopted plan. No action was taken at the workshop; the board will be asked to coordinate on implementation and incentives as the plan moves through council.