Residents and land trust urge deed restrictions, master plan before development of Prospector holdings

Dozens of written commenters and several speakers at the Jan. 21 public hearing urged the City Council to require stronger protections for the holdings targeted by Ordinance No. 555.

Ed Lawson, representing Protect Prospector Hill, Inc., entered a letter into the record arguing the rezoning process should be lawful and took issue with whether the Comprehensive Plan alone provides the necessary protection. "He entered a lengthy letter into the record and highlighted several points including the fact that he believes a comprehensive plan is simply a planning document or a mission statement," the record shows. Carri York (listed in the record with 'Land River Land Trust') asked the Council to require deed restrictions and a master plan to guarantee long‑term conservation.

Several residents expressed that zoning changes alone may not bind future owners and recommended documentary safeguards such as deed restrictions or covenants coupled with a detailed master plan before any significant development is permitted. Council President Michelle Griffith suggested a specific reference to the Comprehensive Plan that would require a master plan before significant development proceeds.