The Sioux Falls Planning Commission on Jan. 2 recommended rezoning about 8.2 acres at the Twelfth Street and I‑29 interchange from I‑1 (light industrial) to RA‑3 (apartment residential, high density), clearing the way for a proposed multi‑family development.

Carla Resendiz, planner with the City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services, told the commission the application supports a potential four‑story, 178‑unit apartment complex (phase 1 on the north 5.4 acres) and that the proposal aligns with the Shape Sioux Falls 2040 comprehensive plan designation of the area as a community employment center. "The rezoning proposal aligns with the Shape Sioux Falls comprehensive plan," Resendiz said.

The application drew multiple speakers from adjacent neighborhoods who cited parking, traffic circulation, density and public‑safety concerns. John Bibery, a nearby property owner, said the site is "way too small for 345 units" and objected to the proposed mix of three‑ and four‑bedroom units and the applicant's proposed parking reductions. "I have a real issue with parking," Bibery said, saying he believed the project would lack sufficient spaces if larger units were occupied by multiple adults.

Herm Martin, a resident two to three blocks from the site, asked the commission not to recommend the rezoning and cited a perceived link between higher‑density housing and higher crime rates: "In communities around the country where high density residential housing exists, crime rates often elevate," he said.

Dr. Alan Taylor, another nearby resident, raised safety and circulation concerns around Lyons and Twelfth Street and noted ambulance staging near the intersection; Carol Gillen said the neighborhood effectively has "one road in and one road out," heightening worries about congestion and emergency access.

Applicant representatives offered project details and mitigation measures. Radley McLaughlin, identified as the applicant, and Ryan Tobin, present for the applicant, described proposed on‑site amenities and said they conducted a parking study of comparable properties. Tobin said the building would include about 7,500 square feet of indoor amenities and a centralized courtyard with two playgrounds and that the applicant expects to serve families and workforce households. Tobin also disputed some public numeric claims and said phase 1 contains 178 units as described in staff materials; at one point he described a "78 units" figure while explaining concept variability, a discrepancy that appears in the transcript and was not resolved during the hearing.

On parking, Carla Resendiz said city rules require parking be calculated per bedroom; staff reported the site has roughly 400 parking stalls across the larger combined property and that the applicant is providing enough parking for the phase‑1 building based on the bedroom counts known for that phase. Resendiz also said the city will respond to emergencies at the site but Crossroads Drive is a private easement and decisions about that private street’s configuration require agreement among its owners.

Commissioners debated the proposal. One commissioner said the site’s proximity to an arterial made the rezoning appropriate; another expressed strong reservations about adding the proposed density in that corner. The commission approved the rezoning on a 4‑1 vote.

If the rezoning proceeds through City Council, planning staff said it would return for first reading Jan. 21 and second reading Feb. 3. Subsequent steps include detailed site plan review, a preliminary subdivision (if required) and permitting.