Pine Island — Transcript
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Updates to Plan Unit Development (PUD) Ordinance Definitions
Preliminary Plat for Pine Island Industrial (Project Skyway)
Preliminary Development Plan for Planned Unit Development (PUD)
Votes (3)
Review of Ordinance 180 (PUD Definition Update)
Dissent: None from commissioners during the vote; public speaker Janu expressed opposition during the public hearing.
Moved by Unknown [0:08:50] · Seconded by Kirsty [0:08:50]
The board reviewed Ordinance 180, described as a clerical update to align the definition of Plan Unit Development (PUD) in City Code Section 1111 with substantive changes made by Ordinance 178. Ordinance 178 expanded PUD eligibility to include commercial development, moving beyond residential-only applications. A public hearing was held where one speaker, Janu, expressed concern about the speed of development, drawing a comparison to the detailed Ordinance 149 (chickens) versus the brevity of Ordinance 180, and advocating for a slower, more deliberate process. Another speaker deferred their comments. The staff emphasized that the changes were administrative and brought the city in line with other communities.
Preliminary Plat for Pine Island Industrial
Dissent: One commissioner voiced dissent during the vote. Several public speakers (Wendell Zart, Rodney Lanners, Aubrey Dson, Reverend David Dixon, Darcy Simpson, Jesse Sherick, Robin Schmall) voiced strong opposition during the public hearing and after the vote.
Moved by Kurt [0:49:50] · Seconded by Brad [0:49:50]
The commission reviewed the preliminary plat for the 482-acre Pine Island Industrial site, proposed by Ryan Companies for a data center. The city engineer presented a detailed review of storm water management, grading, and utility plans, rating the preliminary plan as 'A' quality. Six conditions of approval were proposed, including engineering requirements and legal review. A public hearing generated extensive input from six speakers, who uniformly expressed strong opposition or calls for a pause. Concerns included lack of transparency, rapid process, potential negative impacts on property values, quality of life (citing Hiddenwood Lake analogy), environmental concerns (water/energy usage, noise, traffic), and procedural issues like railway easements and a historic cemetery. Staff clarified that this plat review primarily focused on engineering and land division, with facility use to be addressed in later Conditional Use Permit hearings.
Preliminary Development Plan for Planned Unit Development (PUD) Overlay District
Dissent: One commissioner voiced dissent during the vote. Several public members expressed strong opposition throughout and after the discussion, indicating significant community discord with the overall project progression.
Moved by Kurt [1:22:10] · Seconded by Brad [1:22:40]
The commission reviewed the preliminary development plan for the PUD, focusing on specific deviations from the I2 (light industrial) zoning. Staff and the City Engineer detailed how proposed noise (60 dB day/50 dB night) and lighting (0.5 foot-candle) standards were actually stricter than current city code, and how increased setbacks would mitigate the impact of proposed taller buildings (up to 60 ft, with 80 ft for accessory structures by CUP). Discussions covered construction traffic routing (away from residential areas via Highway 52 access), developer-funded infrastructure (road paving, 3 miles of water/sewer extensions), and water usage for air-cooled systems comparable to residential developments. Staff emphasized that this was a recommendation to City Council, not a final approval, and that the PUD process provides greater city control through Conditional Use Permits. Public questions about the 'light industrial' classification for a data center were raised but deferred to future rezoning hearings.
Notable Quotes (16)
So really this is just clerical to make sure that the definition and the actual substance match.
So the way our PUD um ordinance was written uh PUD in the city of Pine Island only um apply to residential development. Um as far as we can tell we were the only ones who who did that. Um we kind of hamstrung ourselves into um only allowing PUD for residential development. Um, so to kind of bring us in line and be competitive with other cities, we expanded it to include commercial as well, just like kind of everyone else does.
My point is this. We need to slow down. We need to look at all the data, both sides, investigate, and then make your decisions.
For a preliminary plan it's it's in that A range. Um it's just uh they provided a lot of detail uh for a preliminary plan and storm water management plan.
It doesn't deal as much with um the use of the property. Um so things like data center whatnot. um those would be issued um by conditional use permit which would be a later hearing at a later date um with the final approvals.
This is something that the City of Pine Island has to consider in view of our our state situation of money we the school out here is has bought land for additional schools. We need the tax base.
My name's Rod Lanners. I live at 189 Court Northeast. And I'm here because I'm concerned that the whole process for the data center development is moving forward without key questions being answered by Ry company and without meaningful public input.
Residents quality of life is down to crapshoot. They're unable to sell their homes because no one wants to live that close to a data center.
My frustration, one of my many frustrations with how all this is going forward is that details like this are not taken care of in the AU it there is a historic Catholic cemetery that is located on this land. And according to that description, there is nothing in that AUR that says that that has been dealt with appropriately.
Until we receive more transparency from Ryan Companies and the city and can ensure that the data center will not cause harm to health, safety, and welfare or underfund our schools and other public facilities due to subsidies provided. The zoning of this land should be paused.
Long-term profits turn us into prey. devastating impacts on property values, increased pollution, and resource depletion will last. Things that serve the real local needs of our community are essential instead of a data center that sucks the resources out of it.
The proposal of just a flat 60 dB during the day and 50 dB at night, um again, comes in under what city code um requires. uh city code is at six dB over.
I've got a question on why is this considered light industrial versus heavy industrial? Seems more to be heavy industrial, which would change your whole point here. Seems ridiculous.
So all of the water usage that is being proposed is for um office purposes, fire suppression purposes, um things of that sort. Um so again in that same vein, um all water being used on the development would come from the city municipal water system.
So every after the complete build out um every 10 days that's a million and a half gallons that the whole development use that seems like an awful lot of water still even with cooling. I mean is there some I guess I don't know generally what an industrial uh complex uses in water but that still seems like oil.
And again, just to say it out loud to put it out there, not to rain on your braid. Um, so when you guys approve, it's a recommendation, right, to council because they get final say on it.
Ordinances & Resolutions (18)
Ordinance to update the definition of Plan Unit Development (PUD) in the city's code to match changes made by Ordinance 178.
Ordinance approved in August that updated City Code Section 1111 related to Plan Unit Development (PUD), expanding its application beyond residential-only to include commercial development.
City's zoning code section related to Plan Unit Development (PUD) and land use regulation.
Ordinance relating to raising chickens in Pine Island, mentioned by a public speaker as a comparison to the brevity of Ordinance 180.
City's subdivision code, governing platting processes.
Specific section of the city's subdivision code related to plat review standards.
Specific section of the city's subdivision code related to plat review standards.
Application from Ryan Companies for the subdivision of 482 acres into 12 parcels, consisting of 4 total lots.
300+ page document submitted by the developer, detailing storm water control and quality for the development.
Required document submitted by the developer for the preliminary plat review.
Required document submitted by the developer for the preliminary plat review.
Legal documents proving ownership of land, required for plat submissions.
Surveys of lot lines, required for plat submissions.
Required document for plat submissions.
Required document for plat submissions.
Required document for plat submissions.
Environmental document prepared for the project, setting thresholds for water usage.
Document outlining proposed deviations from zoning code for a Planned Unit Development (PUD), triggering the PUD review process.