EVANSTON — A group of local business owners has been meeting with Evanston Engineering and Planning Department staff once a month for three months to review and provide input regarding possible amendments to the Schedule of Permitted Land Uses for the downtown business district. 

The downtown commercial area extends from 6th Street to 12th Street and from the alley north of Sage Street to Front Street. The Evanston 2010 Comprehensive Plan anticipated that specialty businesses, eateries, lounges, banking services, entertainment, offices and residential lofts will predominate within the historic downtown area. According to Chapter 24 of the Evanston City Code, this area is zoned as the Regional Business-Established (RB-E) zoning district. 

Within the past year, the City of Evanston Planning and Zoning Commission considered a request to allow office use on the ground floor level of a downtown building. In the RB-E zoning district, an “office” as the principal use on the ground floor level of a building is reviewed by the City of Evanston Planning and Zoning Commission through the conditional use permit process. Conditional use permits are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. A conditional use permit is granted to the applicant and does not transfer to a new owner when the property is sold. 

The Downtown Land Use Committee is discussing whether or not it would be in the best interest of the downtown business district to permit ground-level offices for use by right rather than condition. 

Land uses requiring a conditional use review may pose negative impacts to adjacent property owners. A public hearing held before the Planning Commission provides an opportunity for neighbors and citizens to either voice their support for or against an application. The Planning Commission often approves requests with stipulations to minimize impacts of a proposed use. 

Associate planner DuWayne Jacobsen along with engineering and planning director Dean Barker led the meeting on Wednesday, July 18, at the Evanston City Hall. Those in attendance were Clarence Vranish, Sue Vehar, Brent Hatch, Art Vanguard and Heath Beaudry. 

Jacobsen distributed and reviewed information including other Wyoming communities’ definitions of “office,” a list of permitted and conditionally permitted land uses in Evanston’s downtown RB-E zoning district and a list of other permitted and conditionally permitted land uses in the downtown business districts of other Wyoming communities.

Jacobsen asked the group to take the information home, review the Schedule of Land Uses for the City of Evanston for possible changes or additions and present recommendations at the next meeting. 

In addition, city staff will present a draft definition of “office” that will provide better consistency when classifying land use proposals.

The group agreed to move the proposed changes to the Planning Commission and City Council as soon as possible. Their next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at the Evanston City Hall. The public is invited to attend.