05-24-12 Special Called Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission

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REVISED DRAFT APRIL 9, 2012 4)Consider transitioning Transition the existing Planned Unit Development (PUD) regulations to a Planned Development (PD) option available in certain districts in order to mix different housing types. This by-right option allows the density and open space standards to be clearly defined to reflect the intended character. A housing palette should be utilized to clearly specify the minimum lot areas and dimensions, setbacks, building heights, and maximum building coverage for each dwelling unit type. These new PD provisions would include explicit density and open space standards together with provisions for permitted and limited uses, housing diversity, dimensional criteria, residential and nonresidential development standards, open space and recreation design, subdivision layout and design, street configurations, and bufferyards and transitions thereby allowing them as a by-right option rather than through a discretionary approval process. 5)Consider reviewing and revising Review and revise the lists of permitted and conditional uses in each district. The current districts are cumulative meaning that single family dwellings are permitted in both low and high density districts. The permitted uses in the commercial district are based on their use function rather than their scale or design character. By way of example, the neighborhood commercial district allows drugstores, eating places, and grocery stores with limitations of scale or other design parameters to ensure a character that is compatible with the adjacent neighborhood. 6)Consider adopting Adopt a housing palette that includes dimensional standards for each of several housing types. The purpose of the palette is to ensure the character (size, spacing, scale) of each housing type in a neighborhood or mixed housing development, such as a mixed use center or traditional neighborhood development (THD). 7)For the purposes of procedural streamlining and to better focus the appropriate locations of uses, consider restricting the types and numbers of allowable conditional Flexible bufferyards ensure that the scale of uses. For those uses with performance standards, make the bufferyard is commensurate with the them a limited use whereby they are administratively intensity and/or proximity (i.e., the character) permitted subject to written standards. of adjacent uses. In addition, a flexible 8)Consider amending Amend the ordinance to bufferyard approach would provide multiple include bufferyard provisions for ensuring improved options (i.e., landscaping only, landscaping compatibility between adjacent areas of different and berm, or landscaping and fence character. The bufferyards must vary according to the structure) to achieve the same level of intensity of abutting development, with a range of options compliance, while providing the developer (including combinations of buffer width, plant density, with flexiblity to implement the one that is earthen berms, and fencing) to meet a specified standard most appropriate for their site and project. of opacity. This would provide adequate buggering of adjacent uses as well as street corridors. The existing Source: Kendig Keast Collaborative. provisions only specify a 25 foot buffer between multi- 2.34 Chapter 2