City planning staff described a proposal on Nov. 6 to allow a privately owned lot on Laurel Street to operate as a permanent outdoor event space with a decorative pergola or entrance, a stage for live music, seating and space for food trucks.

Staff said the core regulatory questions are whether the use should be treated as a special exception, a conditional permanent use in particular zoning districts, or a new defined use in the Unified Development Ordinance. "The issue for this property is that it isn't tied to a brick and mortar establishment and there may be building code issues such as the requirement for an on‑site restroom," staff said.

Commissioners asked practical questions about restroom access, ingress/egress for food trucks, noise and hours of operation. Staff cited an existing downtown example — the Blackwater Market restrooms — as a possible model for shared facilities that event patrons could use when the market is open.

Several members said they liked the concept but wanted a clear set of operational standards. One member suggested that the city require a single, identified business owner to operate the site rather than allow a rotating list of event promoters, to preserve accountability.

Next steps

Staff will return next month with draft ordinance language, examples from other municipalities, and a checklist of design and operational conditions (restrooms, circulation, hours, noise and permitting). The commission did not vote on any formal change at the Nov. 6 meeting.

Ending

Staff emphasized that the property owner would bear the burden of meeting any adopted standards if the use is permitted; the commission asked staff to examine how similar uses have been regulated elsewhere.