HOUGHTON — The Houghton Planning Commission tabled the proposed rezoning of property adjacent to the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce lot of College Avenue to get more information about the proposed uses for the property after a public hearing and discussion Tuesday.

Gregg Nominelli made the rezoning request for his properties on College Avenue near Franklin Square, which he seeks to change from R-3 (multiple-family residential) to B-3 (general business district). The properties lie between the city-owned Chamber lot and residential Greek buildings on College Avenue.

At last month’s meeting, the planning commission informally endorsed the idea of rezoning Nominelli’s project and nearby city-owned lots to B-3. Nominelli also requested a 50-foot-height limit on his property, since B-3 does not restrict maximum heights.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Nominelli said he had heard interest from several owners of office and retail businesses in the area. People looking to create housing had also expressed interest.

Planning Commission members wanted to see more restrictions on possible uses. Planning Commission Chair Tom Merz said in previous conditional rezonings, such as the one that enabled the Pearl Street Mall, the future use was already known.

“We want to see a development plan — what is going to take place there,” he said. “Otherwise, if it’s approved in its current state, just about anything can take place there except for industrial.”

The commission voted 8-1 to table the issue. Planning Commission member and city Mayor Brian Irizarry cast the dissenting vote, saying he did not want the unelected commission to be overly restrictive.

The commission also recommended council approval for the city’s five-year recreation plan and a special land use permit for a house on Sandpiper Drive.

The recreation plan makes up Chapter 4 of the city’s master plan, which is currently being prepared. It can be seen at the city’s website at cityofhoughton.com. The plan outlines priorities over the next five years, as well as identifying community and recreation needs and listing existing resources. Action items include the development of a continuous trail network around the city limits, accompanied by connecting existing trail sections and city parks.

Michigan requires municipalities to create the recreation plan, parts of which are also needed by the Department of Natural Resources to score recreational grant applications and assign recreational designations.

Nominelli, who owns the property at 7023 Sandpiper Dr., also requested a special land use permit for an accessory dwelling unit as part of the house he’s building.