After convening for more than four hours last week, the Urbana City Council’s agenda last night had significantly fewer items, keeping the meeting under an hour. The Council discussed five ordinances and unanimously voted to send them all to its next meeting on Nov. 26.

An ordinance to approve a redevelopment agreement with developer TC-Met Urbana, LLC generated the most discussion from aldermen. The redevelopment project at 1008-1012 West University Avenue plans to tear down the existing structure and build a new five-story building, Charlie Smyth, Ward 1, said. The top four floors will consist of 161 apartments and the first floor will have 9,000 square feet available for retail, Smyth said.

“It’s a commendable mix of residential and retail,” Dennis Roberts, Ward 5, said.

Smyth said construction is scheduled to begin sometime in the spring and should be completed by mid-2009.

Danielle Chynoweth, Ward 2, supported the project, but she expressed concerns with the wording in the ordinance. The ordinance does not specifically state the ground floor must be used as retail space. Chynoweth said she is worried the property could be used as office space instead if the specifications are not laid out in the ordinance.

“I wouldn’t support this level of commitment from the city for an office-based project,” she said.

The city is considering giving the development $1.25 million in subsidies. The ordinance should include a half sentence specifying the retail aspect, she said.

The motion to move the ordinance, without any amendments, to the next Council meeting with a recommendation for approval was made by Heather Stevenson, Ward 6.

Stevenson said she believes it will be added and approved. However, she is concerned that if the developer is unable to find retailers, it will lose money.

“I don’t want to see them lose money because they can’t get a retailer in there,” Stevenson said. “It’s been shown over the last 15 years that retail is not real high in Urbana.”