Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - June 11, 2026
Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - June 11, 2026
The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission met on June 11, 2026, at 1:00 PM (Central) with a quorum of six commissioners. The meeting addressed four cases: two rezoning requests for student housing developments, and two short-term rental conditional use permits. Votes resulted in a tie on one rezoning, unanimous approval on another, approval of one STR, and a tie on the second STR.
Consent Calendar
- The May 7, 2026 meeting minutes were approved as amended.
- The June 11 agenda was approved.
Case 124-2026: The Retreat at Columbia (Rezoning from A to PD and PD Plan)
- Staff presented a proposal for a 194-dwelling-unit (max 204) student housing development on 15% of the site, with 50% open space, and a traffic impact study showing minimal increases. Public comments raised concerns about Rock Quarry Road safety, crash data (41 crashes in 5 years, 2 fatal), and the adequacy of the traffic study. The applicant argued for compliance with the comprehensive plan and the need for student housing. Commissioners discussed the road's capacity and precedent. The motion to approve failed on a tie vote (3-3), resulting in no recommendation to City Council.
Case 162-2026: Theory Sterling Mizzou (Rezoning from RMF to PD and PD Plan)
- Staff presented a 305-unit, 970-bed student housing project with 570 parking spaces (0.6 per bed), four design exceptions for setbacks, height (85 ft), parking, and landscaping. Public comments focused on parking overflow into East Campus, pedestrian safety at the College and University intersection (most dangerous in city), and the need for a dedicated left-turn lane. The applicant provided parking comps and argued that parking is adequate. Commissioners agreed on the location's appropriateness but noted infrastructure concerns. The motion to approve passed 6-0.
Case 166-2026: Short-Term Rental at 1309 W Worley Street (CUP)
- Staff recommended approval for a maximum of 4 transient guests and 210 nights/year. The owner stated she was unaware of the ordinance and has since complied. A previous variance for a side parking lot was confirmed. Commissioners discussed parking and compliance. The motion to approve passed 6-0.
Case 169-2026: Short-Term Rental at 1505 Richardson Street (CUP)
- Staff recommended approval subject to adding a fourth parking space. The owner had been cited for illegal operation and pled guilty. Public comments raised parking and neighborhood concerns. Commissioners debated the owner's past non-compliance. A motion to approve with 4 guests (instead of 8) failed on a tie vote (3-3), sending no recommendation to City Council.
Key Outcomes
- Case 124-2026: No recommendation (tie vote).
- Case 162-2026: Approved 6-0.
- Case 166-2026: Approved 6-0.
- Case 169-2026: No recommendation (tie vote).
- Next meeting scheduled for July 23, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I will now call the Thursday, June 11th, twenty twenty-six meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission to order Commissioner Brodsky. May we please have a roll call. Commissioner Darr. Here. Commissioner Goway Jones. Here. Commissioner Graybaugh is absent. Commissioner Gray. Here. Commissioner Stanton. Here. Commissioner Walters. Here. And I am here. We have a quorum of six. Thank you. We all received a copy of the May seventh, twenty twenty-six regular meeting minutes. We will receive copies of the June fourth minutes at our next session. Are there any changes or adjustments to the May seventh minutes? And thank you to all of my fellow commissioners for getting those sent in to staff. We appreciate it. Move to approve the minutes as amended. Moved by Commissioner Gray, seconded by Commissioner Stanton. From A agricultural to PD plan development to approve a plan development plan, serving as a preliminary plat to be known as the retreat at Columbia and approved as an associated statement of intent. Yes, you may, and thank you for the introduction. Public notice was distributed for this on the 6th of April for public information postcards of which they were 14 notification letters were sent to property owners, occupants, and tenants on the 20th of April, as well as the 18th of May re-advertising for the originally date certain tabled June 4 meeting. An ad was placed in the Tribune on the 19th of May as well as the 21st for the same reasons. So some background information. So first uh first step for this development is ultimately going to be that a track split is required in order for the portion of the land that is to be developed, should this be approved, um, to be legally transferred to the uh developer to then build. Um so this will require track split. That is something that is administratively approved. Um we are in the process of reviewing it still, um, but it just needs to be approved uh before uh this gets introduced to city council. Um here is uh imagery from the county parcel viewer uh roughly of what the site kind of looks like. You can see there is the stream that runs on the eastern portion of the site. Uh it is north of the terminus of Grindstrone Plaza Drive, and it is directly to the west of Reback Road accessing Rock Quarry. And again, here's the surrounding zoning. Um, every parcel that this abuts directly that's not a roadway, um, is zoned agriculturally and across the street. Um there is uh some multifamily zoning that is currently not developed, um, and then a single family subdivision off of Reback Road. Um to the south here we have the the Walmart PD and then the um MC zoned property uh for the grindstone commercial um center that uh was approved last year, if I'm not mistaken. Um so here's kind of a rough image of what the site plan uh for this proposed development ends up looking like. Um as you can see, extension of Grindstone Plaza Drive from the south up to intersect with retreat way, which would be a street that is constructed particularly for this development, um, and that would have access that is uh more or less aligned with Reback Road on the east side of Rock Quarry. Um as uh just a note, um, all of the dwellings here are located outside of the uh required 83-foot half width for preservation within the scenic roadway overlay, although the scenic roadway overlay extends for 220 feet, but only development and uh I guess land disturbance generally can't occur within the 83 feet of the half width. So it's currently an undeveloped agriculturally zoned parcel, and they are requesting a rezoning to plan development as well as the PD plan itself. Um so again, it abuts a zone property in every direction, um, and the PD plan would include 194 dwelling units. Uh the statement of intent notes 204 units at a maximum and that multifamily residential and accessory structures for multifamily development would be permissible uses should it be adopted. Uh the landscaping on the plan is 15%, but the SOI notes a minimum of 10% and kind of justification for this, although it is on the plan, and the plan would be what they're required to do. Um 50% of the site is to be maintained in open space or landscaping. Approximately two and a half acres of the site is climax forest. Um there's also a type two stream buffer that encumbers the site on the eastern portion, um, kind of separating what is the bulk of the development and the three duplexes that are closer to the actual roadway itself.
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