ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Director of Community Development with a Request to Concur with the Recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and Staff to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending Appendix A, the Unified Development Code, Relating to INNOVATION USES.
Body
BACKGROUND:
UPDATE: At the first meeting questions were asked about the impact of this proposal on existing uses and the restriction on outdoor activity.
This proposal for Innovation Uses has no impact on any other current use, such as micro-breweries or other uses that allow outdoor activity. As with any ordinance amendment, only the text that is underlined or stricken is subject to change.
On the question of why the proposed Innovation Uses have restricted outdoor activities. The reason behind this restriction is based upon the typical type of uses anticipated in this category. Many early start-up uses include the development of prototypes. These prototypes can be built using 3D printers, CNC machines, wood-working equipment, etc. Beyond the fact that most of these machines are not designed to be used outdoors, we have concerns about potentially noisy and dust-creating machines being set up in smaller commercial and office areas. We believe that setting up a wood lathe in the parking lot of an office district would be completely incompatible and potentially dangerous to the other users and customers. Finally, the core of initial innovation uses will most likely be downtown. In this area there is a very limited amount of private outdoor space, thus there would be no opportunity for outdoor activity.
The proposed text amendment codifies the allowance of Innovation Uses within the Unified Development Code and provides performance standards. This proposed text amendment is also a response to the adoption of the Peoria Downtown Innovation District through Resolution #19-308.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: N/A
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS (at the Planning & Zoning Commission...
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