CITY OF FLORENCE
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
MAY 4, 2015
1. Chairman Rudl Mergelman called the regular meeting of the Florence Planning Commission to order at 6:30 p.m.
2.Roll call-Rudl Mergelman-Present
Cid Odom-Absent
Tammy Stone-Present
Sandi Roberts-Present
Patricia Smith-Present
Larry Baker-Present
Mike Patterson-Absent
Others present – City Attorney Bryan Fredrickson, City Clerk Dori Williams, City Planner Wade Broadhead
3. Approval of minutes – Tammy Stone moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held March 12, 2015 as presented. Seconded by Sandi Roberts. Roll call vote - 4 ayes, 1 absent – Odom.
The newest member of the Planning Commission, Patricia Smith, was introduced to the other members of the board and welcomed by Chair Rudl Mergelman.
4. Unfinished business –
a. Main Street assessment update –
City Planner Wade Broadhead stated that we just finished the two day assessment of Main Street and other amenities offered in Florence by Downtown Colorado Inc. to see if they could recommend us to be eligible to be a “Main Street Community”. Their goal is to assess, offer suggestions and steps we can take to further improve our community. They met with merchants, school district, youth and citizens in a number of meetings. The last was a wrap up meeting on Tuesday night and it was fairly well attended. The DCI team did a really good presentation with some suggestions on areas for improvement.
Rudl asked how you keep the fire going after something like this. Wade responded that they will help keep the fire going and we need to identify projects that we want to do to improve downtown whether it is artistic planters, zoning issues, setting priorities about what we want to do as a community.
Rudl asked what kind of money is out there for stuff like this. Is there money for sidewalks… Wade responded that you could do sidewalks as a part of a bigger project. This gets us set up and helps us go for bigger money. He stated that he would have more information for next meeting on what the next steps will be.
b. Accessory structures – definition/location for R-1, R2, R-3
Wade stated that we need to look at the issue of accessory structures in residential zone districts. We need a more detailed code and re-word our definition of an accessory structure. Does the Commission want us to review the regulations and present some information at next meeting for redoing our code. We need to look at types of accessory structures, height regulations, construction standards to match principal structure. It has to be accessory to the principal structure on the same lot. We also need to look at the percentage of lot coverage in this exercise.
Commission agreed that we need to amend the definition and residential zone district regulations for accessory structures.
5. New Business –
a. Central Historic Business District – rezoning issues
Wade stated that there is some interest in a proposed rezone of a portion of East Front Street for CHB to Multiple Use Overlay zone district. Some of the industrial uses on Front Street are non-conforming in the CHB zone district. He stated that he would like the Commission’s opinion on moving forward on a proposal to rezone that portion of East Front that have obvious light industrial uses. The businesses on Front Street are not going away and we need to find a zone district where they conform to the proper zone district. Jim Javernick has a buyer for his property and he is afraid of this cloud of non-conforming use that could ruin his intended use for the property.
Sandi Roberts stated that there is paint shop on West Front Street and it is in CHB and wouldn’t it be a non-conforming use. The other properties along the south side of West Front could also fit into a light industrial zone.
It was the consensus of the Commission to look at the rezone of Front Street.
City Manager Mike Patterson stated that there is a proposal for the old Vendetti Car Lot on West Main to be a car lot again. It would not be allowed in CHB and would have to be rezoned to General Commercial. Is this something that the Commission would support?
Sandi Roberts stated that she could see having a car lot at the old Vendetti building as a disaster. What is the positive to this?
It would move the car lot from the corner and then we could clean up the corner lot.
Sandi stated that we are either historic or not historic and changing the zoning is not a good thing. Car dealers are not usually in the middle of retail district.
The consensus opinion of the Commission is that rezoning on Main Street is not something they could support.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
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