Garden City planners begin work on CBD height amendment to enable 3–4 story buildings

Commissioners directed staff on Sept. 10 to prepare draft amendments to the Central Business District (CBD) zoning to permit additional stories in targeted downtown locations.

Planner Mister Ortega told the commission that the newly adopted master plan contemplates added height in the downtown core and that a short, focused zoning amendment could allow three stories (or four in parts of the district) without requiring repeated planned‑development rezonings. Ortega said he would prepare a concise draft amendment focused on the CBD and a second draft that identifies appropriate locations based on proximity to residences and other local conditions, and he recommended consulting the fire marshal and building‑code requirements to ensure public‑safety compatibility. Commissioners asked staff for research on neighboring cities’ approaches to building heights and fire‑apparatus reach and agreed to discuss draft language at the next meeting with a goal of a public hearing in November.