Neighborhood Meeting - 1603 East Washington Rezoning

Neighborhood Meeting: Rezoning of 1603 East Washington Street from B-3 to R-5

The City of Urbana has requested a rezoning of 1603 East Washington Street, at the intersection of Washington Street and Lierman Avenue, from B-3, General Business to R-5, Medium High Density Residential. The City has received a proposal for an affordable housing development at the location, which the R-5 district would allow.

The City acquired 1603 East Washington Street in 2012 and leased it to a non-profit for use as a community garden until June of 2022, when the non-profit dissolved. The land is now vacant and the garden is no longer being maintained.

In October of 2022, Urbana City Council voted to renew an intergovernmental agreement with the Housing Authority of Champaign County to explore financing for affordable housing at the site. A rezoning is a prerequisite for a multifamily residential development on the property. Any redevelopment of the site will be subject to community input and City Council approval, and may include amenities such as a garden or playground for which the community demonstrates interest. The rezoning would match the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which designates the site for residential use.

City staff will hold a neighborhood meeting to gather public input on the proposed rezoning on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 6:30 P.M. at Foursquare Church located at 2101 East Washington Street. The focus of this meeting and the Plan Commission hearing will be the proposed rezoning of the parcel from business to residential zoning. The plans to redevelop the site are not part of the rezoning request; this would be discussed in more detail at future meetings and require City Council approval separate from the rezoning process. 

Plan Commission will hear the rezoning case on December 8, 2022, and will forward a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council, who will make the final decision.

We welcome your input on this matter! Members of the public who are unable to attend this meeting may also submit comments on this case to Nick Olsen, Planner I with the City of Urbana by phone at (217) 384-6277, or by email at njolsen@urbanaillinois.us.

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Please join us for a neighborhood meeting on Thursday, December 1st at 6:30 p.m. to share your thoughts and ideas.

Who: Residents of the Lierman Neighborhood, Urbana Planning staff, and anyone else who is interested in this topic

What: Discussion about the proposed rezoning of 1603 East Washington Street from B-3, General Business to R-5, Medium High Density Residential

Where: Foursquare Church at 2101 East Washington Street, Urbana, IL 61802

When: Thursday, December 1st, 2022 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Please contact Nick Olsen at njolsen@urbanaillinois.us or (217) 384-6277 with any questions. We are looking forward to seeing you there!