Memo – Downtown Rezoning FAQ
Date: May 13, 2026
To: Derek A. Martin, City Manager
From: Rebekah Cottle, City Planner

1. Why is the rezoning being proposed?
The proposed Central Business (CB) zoning district is intended to help implement the City’s 2024
Vision & Master Plan for downtown Crescent City. The plan emphasizes a more walkable
downtown, preservation of historic character, support for local businesses, mixed-use
redevelopment opportunities, downtown housing options, and pedestrian-oriented development.
Many downtown properties were developed long before current GC-1 commercial zoning
standards were adopted. As a result, many existing lots and buildings do not comply with modern
requirements related to parking, setbacks, lot size, landscaping, and driveway design.
The CB district is intended to better reflect the historic downtown development pattern while
allowing greater redevelopment flexibility.
2. Will property owners have to make changes to their property because
of the rezoning?
No.
Existing lawfully established structures and uses may continue operating as they currently exist,
even if they become nonconforming under the proposed zoning district. Property owners would not
be required to make immediate changes simply because of the rezoning.
However, future redevelopment, major expansions, or changes in use may require compliance with
the zoning standards in effect at that time.
3. How does the zoning affect nonconforming lots?
Currently, many downtown properties are already nonconforming under the existing GC-1 district
due to smaller lot sizes and older development patterns.
Under the current GC-1 zoning:
• Minimum lot size = 10,000 sq. ft.
• 40 parcels within the proposed district are nonconforming.
Under the proposed CB zoning:
• Minimum lot size = 6,250 sq. ft.
• The number of nonconforming parcels would be reduced to 22 parcels.
This represents approximately a 45% reduction in the number of nonconforming lots.
4. What if a property will still be nonconforming under the new CB
zoning?
Some properties remain nonconforming under the proposed CB district due to lot size, parking
limitations, setbacks, or other site constraints.
However, many properties would become less nonconforming than they are today. This may make
future redevelopment or variance requests easier because the proposed CB district is more
consistent with the historic downtown development pattern.
Some redevelopment projects may still require variances, shared parking arrangements, parking
reductions, or creative site design solutions.
5. What if a property is currently used as a single-family residence?
Existing residential structures may continue to be used as residences even if the zoning changes.
Unlike the existing GC-1 district, the proposed CB district allows residential uses above
commercial space as part of a mixed-use development pattern. This may provide additional
flexibility for upstairs apartments, live-work spaces, mixed-use redevelopment, and adaptive reuse
of historic buildings.
6. How does the CB zoning promote a more walkable downtown?
The CB district is designed to support a more pedestrian-oriented downtown environment by
encouraging buildings closer to the street, reducing front-loaded parking, allowing parking
reductions, supporting mixed-use development, encouraging smaller-scale storefronts,
discouraging automobile-oriented uses, and promoting adaptive reuse of existing downtown
buildings.
The Vision & Master Plan also identifies goals related to wider sidewalks, improved pedestrian
crossings, bike and golf-cart connectivity, public gathering spaces, downtown events, and
preserving the historic character of the downtown area.
7. How were these properties chosen for the proposed rezoning?
The proposed rezoning area was selected primarily based on location and planning
recommendations contained within the City’s 2024 Vision & Master Plan.
The Master Plan identified the downtown area, Central Avenue corridor, and surrounding
properties as priority redevelopment and walkability focus areas. The proposed CB district
generally follows those targeted downtown areas and redevelopment opportunity zones identified
during the public planning process.
The rezoning area was not selected based on individual property ownership or property value, but
rather on the broader planning goals for downtown revitalization and implementation of the
adopted Vision & Master Plan.