A recommendation to allow residential space on the ground levels of buildings in downtown Washington will be presented to the city council. The Planning and Zoning Commission met Tuesday and discussed the item that council had directed to the commission.

The recommendation is to allow ground level residential conversion in the one block area off of the square with some conditions. Building and zoning official Steve Donnolly explains, storefronts must be maintained with a minimum of 20 feet and the commercial space on the ground level must be at least 50 percent of the space. This will not be allowed directly on the square on the ground level.

If this is adopted by council it would permit living space in the back half or less of the first floor of a building.