06-21-12 Regular Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission

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sub -area, and development project .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. planning, which are to be considered in subsequent..zoning... and ... ezoning. actions...by the City. These decisions should be based upon consideration of the Future Land Use Plan and should be consistent with the generalized land uses shown in the plan. Future Consideration of Character -Based PlanninLy One of the ways to improve community appearance is to adopt a "character -based" approach to zoning and land development, which offers many benefits (see inset .... on. next"1111111 page) when compared to a conventional approach like that of the City's existing ordinance. As .............. such, this Comprehensive Plan update recommends the. City consider ..in.the ... future ... o transition to a character -based approach to planning. The..... remainder of.. thi5..... chapter provides guidance for if and when that transition .................. might be undertaken Community character goes beyond typical categorization of the functional use of land — such as residential, commercial, and industrial — to account, as well, for the physical traits one can see in an area that contribute to its "look and feel." A character -based approach focuses on the development intensity, which encompasses the density and layout of residential development; the scale and form of non-residential development; and the amount of building and pavement coverage (i.e., impervious coverage) relative to the extent of open space and natural vegetation or landscaping. This applies both on individual development sites and across entire areas. It is this combination of basic land use and the characteristics of such use that more accurately determines the real compatibility and quality of development, as opposed to land use alone. For instance, both Main Street and Fairmont Parkway have restaurants (i.e., the same use); however, when patronizing a restaurant along Main Street, one encounters a more pedestrian -friendly environment with sidewalks, gridded streets, buildings brought mostly to the street, and on -street parking. In contrast, when patronizing a restaurant along Fairmont Parkway, one encounters a more auto -oriented environment where there are no sidewalks (or they are sporadic) and buildings are set back behind off-street