PORT TOWNSEND — In a split vote Monday, the City Council passed formula store regulations that add hotel and motel chains with more than 14 establishments to the ordinance.
An ordinance regulating setbacks and development regulations of lots affected by statutory vacation also passed in a split vote.
With City Council members Frank Benskin and Laurie Medlicott opposed, the council approved the ordinance that also limits formula businesses to one per commercial building in a commercial C-2 zone and one per lot in the same zone.
Benskin and Medlicott also voted against the street vacation zoning ordinance.
Council member Geoff Masci was ill and absent from the meeting.
The formula store ordinance, which has been in the works since April, was approved by Mayor Catharine Robinson, Vice Mayor Michelle Sandoval and council members Freida Fenn and Kees Kolff.
Also added in the formula store ordinance was a commercial block of Point Hudson.
Jeff Randall, city long-range planner, said under the new ordinance formula stores, restaurants and other establishments would have to “deformulize” by changing to better fit within the community’s small-town character.
