The governing body met on September 10, 2025 to consider rezoning proposals, the 2026 operating budget, property disposals, and utility liens. The meeting featured extensive public comment and debate on equity, affordable housing, and development incentives.
And then there's potential some districts that are some uses that could be allowed through conditional use permit. That includes a contractor yards for a contractor yard, for instance. And then finally the draft residential standards limit building height to thirty-two feet, that's the same for industrial. We tested thirty-two feet for industrial buildings that have been built recently, and most of those have been thirty feet or less. Any further discussion? Seeing none, we're ready to vote. Okay. Okay, we have 10. Yes, the motion carries. Okay. Move on to a related item under 4B. Madam Clerk. He has an ordinance introduced by City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. Amending the district map referred to made a part of the zoning ordinances by section 1850 50 of the Topeka Municipal Code by amending the district zoning classification to aid the Monroe School zoning overlay pursuant to section 18280 of the Topeka Municipal Code. Mr. City Manager. Thank you, Mayor members of the governing body. Dan Warner, our planning division director will lead us through this item. Mayor governing body, that last presentation included the details for the rezoning. Uh to reiterate this rezoning uh implements that overlay district that you just approved and rezones 40 properties uh with this overlay zoning. Uh with that I'll be happy to answer any questions. Any questions? This particular piece uh requires uh ex parte communication notification. So prior to proceeding with the vote, each member of the governing body who is engaged in ex parte communication with any individual either in favor of or against the matter being considered, must state that the communication occurred and indicate and indicate that even in light of having engaged in the communication, they were able to fairly objectively and impartially consider the measure based only upon the evidence provided on the record. The record includes the planning commission minutes, the staff report and its attachments, the public comments made during the planning commission hearing, and similar relevant information related to the matter. So I asked the governing body are there any ex parte communications to bring forward? Councilwoman Hiller. Yes, but I think I can make a reasonable decision. Councilwoman Ortiz. Yes, and I can make a fair and objective and impartial. Okay. Thank you. Yes, I've had a conversation, but I think I can uh make an impartial decision. Thank you, Councilman. Seeing nothing. Um I'm gonna give the voting options for this item. One is to approve the planning commission's recommendation, two reject or amend the planning commission's recommendation, or three remand back to the planning commission as required by the governing body. So is there a motion? Uh motion to approve. Motion to approve by councilwoman Hillary, second by councilman uh Miller. Sir Mayor, I have a uh just a comment. I'm wondering if there is opposition to the rezoning or Dan. Could you um I will say we had a number of meetings and we had a few people show up that were once they kind of heard it, were in favor of all of this. Uh we met specifically with one property owner that had the most concerns and questions, and we did that and didn't hear from them again. Um we haven't had really anybody speak up about opposition to the rezoning um since. Okay. Did the uh property owner uh was in favor of the planning commission's decision or did they have questions about it? Uh the specific property owners that came to the meeting that um kind of expressed support did have questions about kind of the standard the design standards and and those things, but um you know, beyond that, I felt like we answered most people's questions sufficiently. Okay, thank you, Dan.