The City of Marion has extended its development moratorium in key rapidly-growing portions of the city for an additional six months, as the city works to update its overall comprehensive plan.
The Marion City Council unanimously approved the six-month development moratorium at its regular meeting.
The moratorium only applies to portions of Tower Terrace Road, Highway 13, and the Central Corridor zoning districts, and city officials also stressed the moratorium only applies to specific uses within those areas. It does not serve as an overall development moratorium for the city, officials have said.
Exceptions can also be made to the moratorium under certain circumstances, officials said.
The moratorium was first imposed by the city council in November 2023 and was set to expire automatically on Nov. 9. Under the six-month extension, the moratorium will expire July 1, 2025.
The moratorium is in place to “ensure Marion’s growth is guided by planning principles and
develops in a sustainable and resilient manner,” according to council documents, allowing the city to grow at a steady and controlled pace.
Development of Marion’s new comprehensive plan remains on schedule, city leaders said. A a draft plan is to be delivered in December 2024, followed by staff review through February 2025 and a series of public open houses and engagement exercises before Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council review and approvals. It’s hoped the new comprehensive plan will be in place by March 2025.
In November 2023, Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly clarified the scope and intent of the development moratorium.
“There’s been a little bit of misunderstanding about what the moratorium means,” Mr. AbouAssaly said. “It’s been misperceived as a permanent decision on certain types of businesses and where they can go. The moratorium is simply a halt on new projects during a limited period of time. It’s not changing anything in the law. It’s just allowing us to consider specific uses and if any adjustments need to be made to the application of the zoning code when it comes to certain uses in particular areas.
“The end result may be that nothing changes,” he added. ”This is just a pause that allows us to look at our comprehensive plan, update that and then see if any adjustments need to be made in the zoning code.”
Examples of prohibited uses under the partial moratorium include motor vehicle services and repair, gas stations, car washes, pawn shops, self-storage units, grocery stores, tattoo parlors and body piercing studios.
