Staff outlines draft downtown zoning changes, including six-month rule for non-conforming uses

Planning staff briefed the Sanpoint Urban Renewal Agency Board on March 3 about a draft downtown zoning update that would create two new districts (a downtown core and an outer core) and change allowable ground-floor uses and design standards.

Jason Welker summarized the proposal and answered commissioner questions about a previously discussed restriction on ground-floor offices. Welker said planners had withdrawn the specific prohibition from the latest draft, but explained the current draft includes a rule that a non-conforming use would expire if a ground-floor space remains vacant for six months.

"If after 6 months another office tenant does not express interest in that location, it can no longer be leased as an office," Welker said, describing how a vacancy-based non-conformity would work and noting that some workarounds'for example, a short pop-up retail activation'could preserve a use.

Staff described other proposed changes: allowing ground-floor residential in more places outside the downtown core, design requirements that new commercial construction be designed to accommodate a second story, and potential height or design standards unique to the new core districts. Commissioners raised concerns about property-owner impacts and the market consequences of limiting certain ground-floor uses; one commissioner noted the possibility that state legislation introduced this session could curtail local zoning powers on setbacks and other controls.

Staff said the planning commission will continue public outreach; Welch consultant staff will present outreach results to city council on March 18, followed by a community open house in late March or early April. No zoning ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff advised commissioners and interested members of the public to attend upcoming planning commission and council hearings.