We will call the meeting to order.

We'll begin with the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Roll call, please.

Jason Guffin.

Here.

Matt McGee.

Here.

Renee Minimal.

Here.

Christine Huchi.

Here.

Aaron Bell.

Here.

Jim Simon and Mike Niece are absent.

Can we get a motion to excuse them?

So look.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

We will begin the meeting with our public forum.

Before starting your comments, please state your name and address in an audible tone of voice for the record.

This is the time for individuals to comment on matters falling within the purview of the Belgrade City Council that are not already on the agenda.

There will be an opportunity in conjunction with each agenda item for comments pertaining to that item.

Please note that the council may not engage in discussion or respond to questions during this time.

However, at the Deputy Mayor's discretion, the city manager may be asked to provide clarification on existing policy.

Please limit your comments to three minutes.

First call for public forum.

Thank you.

And I'm here to request the City Council Council initiate an amendment to Belgrade zoning code to provide additional time to reoccupy properties developed to serve industrial uses.

Even when the vision for an area changes and new land use regulations are adopted, the land uses typically change over many years.

Cities typically understand that property owners make it make investments based upon expectations that developed real estate can be utilized consistent with how it's developed in the future.

In the case of Featherstone, the property has hundreds of thousands of dollars, many hundreds of thousands of dollars dedicated to rail serving industrial amenities and infrastructure.

These are valueless for a boutique downtown type commercial use.

The property has a railroad spur that runs through the building, and this spur serves many other industrial uses further to the west.

And a significant portion of the building is on land that is leased from the railroad.

The Featherstone property is just one of many properties with significant investments designed for rail served industrial in Belgrade that have been adversely affected by recent land use changes, combined with the code requirement that industrial buildings be reoccupied within 90 days.

The memo provided explains the requested code amendment in greater detail.

In brief, the memo explains that retenanting industrial properties with significant industrial amenities and infrastructure infrastructure takes many months and sometimes years.

I've been a professional land use planner and real estate advisor for over 27 years and worked in four four states across the West.

In that time, Belgrade's zoning code that an industrial building be retened in 90 days is the strictest that I've ever seen.

The changes made to Belgrade's land use regulations over the last several years present a vision of economic the future and economic vitality for Belgrade.

Even for the types of uses the city's plan suggests Belgrade wants, applying land use regulations to minimize the role the railroad plays in the identity of Belgrade may not actually advance that vision.

For example, Bar 3 Brewing is owned by a personal friend and was started as a partnership between the current owner and my cousin.

Just this last Saturday afternoon, the place was packed.

Two of its most popular beers have railroad themed names and little icons on the chalkboard there.

If a business like Bar 3 is embracing the history of the railroad and the businesses that use it, it seems like Belgrade's land use regulation should too.

We would respectfully request you initiate a code amendment to provide more time for industrial buildings to be occupied.

I'm happy to answer any questions that the council may have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just as a general note of procedure, there is in our city code a process for requesting what this would be referred to as a zone text amendment.

And that process begins by filling out an application with the community development department, and there is a fee associated with that.

And then the community development department will review that application and submit it to our now planning commission, which would review it and then make a recommendation and bring it to the city council based on that recommendation for consideration.

So the uh path forward to force a review is to submit it to the community development department.

The council cannot initiate a code amendment on its own motion.