Revamp of zoning in works
City wants to ease the rules for downtown development
Link (JG)

“The Fort Wayne Plan Commission on Monday took the first step toward changing the zoning and development rules for most of downtown.

The commission unanimously approved starting an attempt to rezone much of the city’s core and a separate process to change the zoning rules governing downtown development.”

“Sherese Fortriede, a city planner, told the commission the plan was an effort to make it easier to invest in the downtown, especially as the $120 million Harrison Square project takes shape.”
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“To take advantage of that and other investments, Fortriede said it is important to have proper zoning rules in place. The city already rezoned the area for Harrison Square to its core downtown district.

The city hopes to rezone much of the downtown into this district, or a slightly less dense variation, and away from other commercial and industrial zoning.

The rules are more conducive to a downtown, she said, because they ease parking restrictions and allow for multiple uses. They also allow buildings to be closer to the street, creating more of a dense urban feel. But the rules aren’t perfect, which is why the city also plans to take a closer look at its zoning laws. For example, Fortriede said the city probably shouldn’t allow anyone to just build more surface parking lots downtown when there is already ample parking.”
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“The city hopes to work on the new zoning ordinance over the next several months. Fortriede said the city plans to have two public meetings on the plan in August, and she hopes the plan commission will be ready to meet officially on it in September with approval by the City Council in October.”