modern development. The city’s zoning ordinances, last updated in 1962, predated fundamental changes in how communities function and businesses operate. “Our code was written before we put a man on the moon and written before a personal computer was invented, the iPhone, and the internet and all those things we take for granted today,” Lippus observes.“ “Imagine trying to operate a city with a zoning code that was, in our terms, archaic in its structure and very prohibitive to moving the community forward.” The administration partnered with OHM Advisors and Zone Co for an 18-month complete rewrite of the zoning code, addressing critical gaps that hindered economic development. Mixed-use development, essential for modern transit-oriented projects, was entirely prohibited under existing regulations. Parallel to zoning reform, the City has addressed brownfield remediation through strategic advocacy. Mayor Burke’s lobbying efforts in 2021 resulted in $12.3 million in brownfield remediation funding for former industrial sites, creating 41 acres of shovel-ready development land. Kurtz Bros., Inc. and Industrial Commercial Properties, LLC have both completed environmental cleanup on their respective parcels, receiving state certification for future development. Critical to implementation success is Issue 14, a charter amendment appearing on the spring ballot. 6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06
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