The Marion City Council approved several resolutions and ordinances Thursday that set tax-increment finance limits for urban renewal projects, updated local business and zoning rules and set a speed limit on a residential road.

In votes taken after staff presentations and public hearings, the council approved amendments to the Central Corridor, West Tower Terrace Road and Echo Hill Road urban renewal areas, adopted ordinance second readings amending peddlers/solicitors hours and zoning definitions, approved a speed-limit ordinance for Winslow Road and authorized internal loan advances tied to the urban renewal program.

Finance staff told the council the Central Corridor amendment would add projects to the urban renewal plan and set a maximum amount that could be used from tax-increment financing (TIF) but would not itself obligate the city. The finance director said obligations would be established later through development agreements or internal loans. The projects listed for the Central Corridor included an expansion by McGrath Volkswagen at 675 Blairs Ferry Road and a proposed mixed-use project at the former library site; the record does not specify the final development agreements or dollar amounts.

All of the measures were approved by voice vote after the hearings and short staff reports. No members of the public testified in favor of or in opposition to the urban renewal amendments during the hearings and staff confirmed no written comments had been received for the record.

Key actions approved on Oct. 23, 2025:

- Consent agenda: Items A1 through E4 and resolutions 3259 through 3262 were approved as presented (mover/second not specified in the record; motion approved by voice vote).

- Ordinance No. 25-28 (second consideration): Amending Marion Code of Ordinances section 2-42-16 related to hours of operation for peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants (mover/second not specified; ordinance approved by voice vote).

- Resolution No. 32603: Approve amendment to the Central Corridor Urban Renewal Area to add projects and set a maximum TIF amount (mover/second not specified; approved by voice vote). Finance staff said projects referenced included McGrath Volkswagen at 675 Blairs Ferry Road and a proposed mixed-use development at the former library site; obligations would require separate agreements.

- Resolution No. 32604: Approve amendments to the West Tower Terrace Road and Echo Hill Road urban renewal areas to extend an existing administration and economic-development support program and set TIF maximums (mover/second not specified; approved by voice vote).

- Resolutions No. 32605 through 32608: Project calendar items approving internal loan advances related to urban renewal projects (mover/second not specified; approved by voice vote).

- Ordinance No. 25-29 (second consideration): Amend Chapter 63 of the Marion Code of Ordinances to establish the speed limit on Winslow Road (mover/second not specified; ordinance approved by voice vote). Council asked whether signs were in stock; staff indicated most signs should be available and any missing signs would be ordered after final passage.

- Ordinance No. 25-30 (second consideration): Amend Chapter 340 of the Marion Code of Ordinances related to zoning definitions, compatibility with the comprehensive plan and nonconforming lot uses (mover/second not specified; ordinance approved by voice vote).

Council discussion on the items was brief and largely procedural; staff answered questions about sign installation for the Winslow Road speed-limit ordinance and described the urban renewal amendments as setting maximums for TIF usage rather than creating immediate financial obligations. The record shows no formal recorded roll-call vote tallies or individual member votes for these items; minutes state only that each motion was approved.

The council will finalize implementation details, including any development agreements or internal loan terms, in subsequent actions if and when those agreements are presented to the council.