Chambana Sun

City of Champaign City Council met June 24

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

There being a quorum present, Mayor Feinen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

ROLL-CALL: Present: Robert Pollett, Kathy Shannon, Davion Williams, Shauna Clayborn, Michael Foellmer, Matthew Gladney, William Kyles, Vanna Pianfetti, Mayor Feinen

Absent: None

OTHERS PRESENT: Nancy Rabel, Deputy City Manager Thomas Yu, City Attorney Eric Van Buskirk, Senior Planner Kat Trotter, Zoning Administrator

SPECIAL RECOGNITION: None

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

May 27, 2025 Special Regular Meeting and Post Council Study Session

May 30, 2025 Community Civic Event – Summer Programming Kickoff

June 10, 2025 Special Regular Meeting and Post Council Study Session

CM Pianfetti, seconded by CM Gladney, moved to approve the minutes. A voice vote was taken, all voted yes.

CORRESPONDENCE:

Email regarding housing development

CM Pianfetti, seconded by CM Gladney, moved to place the correspondence on file. A voice vote was taken; all voted yes.

PUBLIC HEARINGS: None

ACTION ON COUNCIL BILLS

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:

CM Pianfetti, seconded by CM Gladney, moved to strike Debora Frank Feinen as a reappointed member of Champaign County Regional Planning Commission in the City of Champaign from CB-2025-120 and to remove CB-2025-123 from the agenda. A voice vote was taken; all voted yes.

CM Pianfetti, seconded by CM Gladney, moved to consolidate CB-2025-118, CB-2025-119, CB-2025-120, CB-2025-121, and CB-2025-122

Passed CB-2025-118, “A Resolution Appointing Kathy Shannon to the Champaign Center Partnership Board of Directors in the City of Champaign.”

Passed CB-2025-119, “A Resolution Reappointing Will Kyles to the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors in the City of Champaign.”

Passed CB-2025-120, “A Resolution Reappointing Alicia Beck to the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission in the City of Champaign.”

Passed CB-2025-121, “A Resolution Reappointing Michael Foellmer to the Champaign Public Library Board of Trustees in the City of Champaign.”

Passed CB-2025-122, “A Resolution Reappointing Vanna Pianfetti to Experience Champaign-Urbana Board of Directors in the City of Champaign.”

Stricken CB-2025-123, Stricken as motioned and approved.

After a brief explanation of the Council Bills by Mayor Feinen, a roll-call vote was taken; all voted yes.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: None

COUNCIL AND MANAGER COMMENTS:

Council Member comment included notice of a community meeting regarding the revitalization of District 1.

Deputy City Manager Rabel noted that the July 1, 2025 Regular Council Meeting was cancelled due to the Independence Day holiday and the next Council meeting will take place on July 8, 2025.

VOUCHERS: None

PAYROLL: None

INVESTMENTS: None

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

Incremental Development Updates - [SS 2025-022]

Staff Presentation: Planner Van Buskirk and Administrator Trotter’s presentation included:

• Background

• Middle Housing

• Comparable Cities

• 2021 Comprehensive Plan

• Proposed Changes

- Elimination of parking requirements

- The allowance of missing middle housing in all residential districts

• Proposed Strategies

- “Build in the box” approach

- “Sliding Scale FAR” approach

• Building Code Amendments

• Administrative Planned Development

• Faith-based Missing Middle Housing

(Note: Information on how to obtain Staff’s written report on this subject is provided below.)

Action Recommended: The administration recommends that Council direct staff to prepare amendments to the Champaign Zoning Ordinance to eliminate minimum parking requirements and facilitate the development of Missing Middle Housing in all Zoning Districts, incorporating any direction on specific proposals presented at this Study Session, and schedule the amendments on a future regular City Council meeting agenda for adoption.

Council Members’ Technical Questions: Council Members’ technical questions included units per lot; interactions between new and existing ordinances; changes to form units; impact on HOAs; incentivizing market rates; Sliding Scale FAR vs. Build in the Box models; point scale clarification; administrative review requirements and waivers to allow for Council review; parking lot requirements; and market driven car parking compared to required bike parking.

(Note: Information on how to view video and audio recordings of the full Council Meeting is provided below.)

Public Input: The following members of the audience spoke regarding the Incremental Development Updates:

• Jared Fritz, Champaign

• Michael Vanderwater, Champaign

• Adani, Champaign

• David Huber, Urbana

• Tony Krispin, Urbana

• Anna Howl, Urbana

Council General Discussion: Council Members’ comments included appreciation to staff for their work on the presentation and project; Sliding Scale FAR; transit radius; plan development ease of use; potential for “pattern book” plans; next steps and evaluation; bike parking requirements; incentivization for participation of local developers; and the enthusiasm surrounding this project.

Polls: Mayor Feinen polled 6 items pertaining to the incremental development update.

Poll 1: Council Members were directed to state their preference between the Sliding Scale FAR model and the Build in the Box model. The result of the poll was 9 in favor of Sliding Scale FAR and 0 in favor of Build in the Box.

Poll 2: Direct staff from Planning, Building Safety, and Fire to explore local amendments to facilitate Missing Middle Housing review under International Residential Code, while maintaining necessary life and fire safety standards. The result of the poll was 9 ayes, and 0 nays.

Poll 3: Direct staff to create an Administrative Planned Unit Development process and establish guidelines to permit Cottage Courts through a by-right review process authorized to grant limited administrative waivers. The result of the poll was 9 ayes, and 0 nays.

Poll 4: Direct staff to draft amendments allowing Missing Middle Housing on Religious Institutional properties. The result of the poll was 8 ayes, and 1 nay.

Poll 5: Direct staff to draft a text amendment to allow Missing Middle Housing in all residential zoning districts, and schedule for future consideration at Plan Commission and City Council – incorporating any direction from City Council. The result of the poll was 9 ayes, and 0 nays.

Poll 6: Direct staff to draft a text amendment to eliminate minimum parking requirements, along with other minor companion amendments, and schedule for future consideration at Plan Commission and City Council – incorporating any direction from City Council. The result of the poll was 9 ayes, and 0 nays.

ADJOURNMENT:

CM Pianfetti, seconded by CM Gladney, moved to adjourn. A roll-call vote was taken; all voted yes.

The meeting adjourned at 9:06 p.m.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-ainnDadp2_qTD0NefRZmHfALb1vJmI8/view