TITLE: Title
Directions to Staff Regarding a Request to Amend the Land Use Ordinance to Allow Community Kitchens as a Permissible Use in Certain Business Districts in the Downtown.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is for the Board to determine whether to direct staff to prepare an ordinance in response to a request to amend the Land Use Ordinance to establish a new community kitchen use classification as a permissible use in the certain business districts. A resolution has been prepared.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon - 919-918-7325, Patricia McGuire - 919-918-7327, Marty Roupe - 919-918-7333, Mike Brough - 919-929-3905
INFORMATION: On May 27th, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, Inc. (IFC) submitted a request for a text amendment to the Land Use Ordinance (LUO) to establish a new "community kitchen" use classification. As part of establishing a new use, the LUO would need to be amended to add community kitchens to the list of definitions, to add the use to the Table of Permissible Uses and to establish performance standards. Modifications to other LUO sections may also be necessary to ensure compatibility with existing and proposed uses in the downtown.
Section 15-321(c)(1) of the LUO indicates that staff may proceed with preparation of an ordinance that makes the requested change if it believes the chance to have significant merit and that it would benefit the general public. Staff has not proceeded to prepare an ordinance due to the potential for concerns associated with this type of use, even though the Town currently houses facilities which provide similar services. Bringing the request forward to the Board in this manner provides an opportunity to discuss potential concerns early on, to hear how the IFC plans to address them and to incorporate those strategies into the language of the draft ordinance.
Staff has identified three possible options for proceeding: 1) prepare an ordinance as outlined in the request by the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, Inc.; or 2) seek additional information from the IFC regarding the proposed use and its potential effect on surrounding properties; or 3) determine that the amendment is not in the public interest and that an amendment should not be drafted.
Should the Board choose to direct the preparation of an ordinance (option one and perhaps two), staff would bring a draft ordinance to the Board for consideration and to request to set a public hearing, at a future meeting.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: Impacts include staff time associated with preparation of a draft ordinance and agenda materials for advisory board and Board of Aldermen review.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Board of Aldermen consider the resolution in Attachment A and select its desired direction.