The Land Use Committee recommended approval of a rezone application for a 34,654‑square‑foot site at 8601 Fremont Avenue North (Clerk File 314491, Council Bill 120962) to change zoning from SF 5000 (single family) to Low Rise 2 with an MHA suffix. The sponsor’s materials said the rezoning would facilitate development of 53 low‑income housing units, including 20 family‑sized (two‑ to three‑bedroom) units.

Central staff explained the process: the clerk file contains findings, conclusions and the hearing examiner’s recommended conditions; the council bill effectuates the change to the official zoning map. Committee members moved to add the findings, conclusions and decision to the clerk file, then to grant the clerk file and to recommend passage of the council bill. The committee also adopted an oral amendment removing the mayor’s signature line from the council bill because contract rezones are council actions and do not require mayoral signature.

Tree impacts were discussed in committee Q&A. Central staff said the project would remove one tree to allow surface parking along the alley but would plant 56 new trees as part of the development; the tree to be removed was not designated an exceptional tree under the code in place when the application began. Staff also said the applicant began work on the application in 2020 and sought to proceed given uncertain timing of larger comprehensive‑plan rezone proposals; the applicant asked in the record to preserve their existing approvals should the mayor’s proposed comp‑plan rezonings later proceed.

Roll calls recorded support for the clerk file and the council bill. For the clerk file motion to add findings and the recommendation to grant the clerk file the roll calls were recorded as Councilmember Rink (Yes), Councilmember Rivera (Aye) and Chair Mark Solomon (Aye); the clerk reported "3 votes in favor and 0 opposed." For the council bill vote the committee again approved the measure and adopted the oral amendment removing the mayoral signature line; the clerk recorded 3 votes in favor and 0 opposed. The committee will forward the recommendation to the full City Council for final action on April 15, 2025.

The committee record shows the city and the hearing examiner concluded the application met rezone criteria and recommended approval with conditions; the clerk file adopts the hearing examiner’s findings and conditions.