OGDEN — The Ogden City Planning Commission will be considering a proposed ordinance to change zoning of the downtown area at a public hearing in council chambers at Ogden’s Municipal Building on Nov. 2 starting at 6 p.m. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and share concerns or comments with the commission before they forward a recommendation to the City Council, which will make the ultimate decision at a later date.

According to city documents, new zones are needed in the downtown area in order to achieve visions presented in the Make Ogden downtown master plan adopted by the City Council in September 2020.

City documents cite an “unmatched” assemblage of historic, cultural, recreational and natural assets found in Ogden and explain that changes would be accomplished through “transformative” infill of vacant and underutilized parcels of land.

The Make Ogden downtown master plan envisions capitalizing on said assets to improve the lives of residents while bolstering the city’s financial health and prosperity.

Angel Castillo, a former Ogden planning commissioner, said she has many reservations about proposed zone changes, particularly parking requirements. A summary of the plan says commercial sites would be excused from having to provide onsite parking, leaving such concerns to residential developments.

Castillo said she believes removing parking requirements for downtown commercial developments before a public parking structure is built will hurt local 25th Street businesses.

While the city’s intention is to create “pedestrian-friendly” spaces, the proposed eight-level, 925-stall parking garage in the Wonder Block area in the city center has yet to break ground.

The future parking structure, located at 26th Street and Grant Avenue, along with the conversion of free parking on Historic 25th Street to paid parking is expected to help meet future growth needs.

Housing density and any accompanying changes to parking throughout downtown will depend on the characteristics outlined in proposed zones.

Changes to the current Central Business District zone would allow building heights of one to 10 stories for a variety of retail, entertainment and service uses. Vehicle-oriented commercial uses, such as auto repair and service stations, however, would not be allowed.

For more information on proposed changes, how zones will be affected and what the process will look like, visit https://ogdencity.com/539/Planning.

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