The Wayland City Planning Commission Tuesday evening agreed to a text amendment to the zoning ordinance to change eligibility requirements for an odd-shaped parcel in the industrial park.
The 29-acre parcel, located at 1121 133rd Avenue near Reno Drive, was purchased by two Wayland High School graduates, Keith Nickels and Josh Otto, for just $20,000 in 2017 because it had sat idle for nearly 20 years.
The purchase drew criticism from local businessman Bruce Schwartz and former Councilman Bob Genther, who insisted others weren’t let in on such a sweetheart deal. City officials responded that there were 19 years in which to negotiate and only one offer was made, but it fell through.
The Planning Commission’s action Tuesday night will not change the zoning of the parcel, but rules for a Planned Enterprise Residential Cluster (PERC) eventually might make it eligible for a Planned Unit Development.
Lori Castello of Professional Code Inspections, zoning enforcement administrator, said there are three different options for the parcel, light industrial, commercial and single- and multi-family residential. However, she added prospects may be limited by an abundance of wetlands.
She also cautioned, “I don’t see how that property could support an industrial development.”
Castello assured the developers, “This text amendment will make the property eligible for a PERC-style development, but it won’t change the zoning. It’s changing the rules to govern the development of the property.”
The vote to recommend the request was approved 6-0.
Commissioner Virgil Gleason said, “I think this is in keeping with the original spirit of the zoning.”
Neither Nickels nor Otto commented on what plans they have for the parcel.