Planning staff presented a rezone application (PL-2531 / ordinance 22-99) on Oct. 13 to change one acre at 1039 Second Avenue East from R-1 (single-family) to B-1 (business), a zoning category that also allows multifamily residential development.

Kelly Schroeder, planning staff, said the parcel (Tract 28 of Brundage Place) contains an existing home that the developer expects to leave in place initially, then subdivide later to place multifamily structures at the rear of the lot facing First Avenue East. The applicant, Q Construction LLC, is considering three separate structures behind the existing house and estimated a total of about 24 units (approximately eight units per structure) but remains in early planning stages.

Schroeder said surrounding zoning is mixed: R-1 to the east, several M-1 and B-1 parcels to the north and west and B-2 and R-3 to the south. The city’s future land use map designates the parcel for residential use, so multifamily housing would align with that plan; staff noted that rezoning to B-1 would also permit commercial uses even if none are proposed by the applicant. Staff corrected a minor petition error, sent notices to 22 surrounding property owners, published a legal ad and posted a sign; as of the study session staff had received no public inquiries.

Councilors asked whether the developer could achieve multiple multifamily structures under an R-3 zoning and discussed spot-zoning concerns. Schroeder said R-3 allows multifamily but generally limits one multifamily structure per lot; achieving multiple structures would require either splitting into multiple lots under R-3 or a B-1 zoning designation. Schroeder said she would verify the status of nearby townhouse lots if council wanted more detail.

No formal adoption or vote on the ordinance was recorded at the study session.