The Zoning Advisory Commission on June 4, 2025 recommended that the City Council rezone 1395 Washington from C4 Downtown Commercial to C1 Neighborhood Commercial to allow lower‑intensity uses, including the possibility of residences on the first floor.

Mike Kelly spoke for the property owner and described the site as a commercially marginal storefront. “Given the location, foot traffic, lack of surrounding storefronts, and the new proposed bypass or excuse me, overpass, we'll probably shut the street down, which is gonna make it even harder to rent,” Kelly said, adding the building is suitable for “handicap apartment or elderly.”

Assistant planner Travis Robeljan explained the block has been zoned central business/C4 since the 1970s and that the subject property is one of the few storefronts in a largely single‑family neighborhood. “Typically, commercial uses in the C4 Zoning District are on the first floor, and therefore, residences are not permitted on the first floor. And this is a way to allow residences, or at least the flexibility to place the residences on the first floor,” Robeljan said. He told commissioners the requested down‑zoning would reduce the intensity of allowable uses and be more in character with the surrounding neighborhood.

Staff reported no public input opposing the request. Commissioner Norton moved to recommend approval to the City Council; the motion carried unanimously at the commission roll call (Zuccaro, Freistat, Norman, Norton and Chair Russell voted aye). The rezoning recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for its June 16 hearing.

If the council approves the rezoning, the property owner would have increased flexibility to convert the ground floor to residential or lower‑intensity commercial uses subject to applicable building and occupancy permits.