|
The new Mixed Use (MU) District is
proposed as a Special District in Article 4 of the Zoning
Ordinance. The MU District is established to provide for
mixed use development within the County’s Service Districts
when consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the
county-wide land use vision and goals. The district is
intended to focus development in a compact form within
Service Districts, creating a vibrant mixed use area that
functions as a discernable center for employment as well as
a center of retail, service, entertainment, cultural, and
civic activities for a traditional neighborhood.
As proposed, the regulations establish
broad parameters for the uses in the district, with specific
limitations and requirements to be established on a
case-by-case basis for each project as part of the rezoning
process. Even where broad parameters are established in the
ordinance, many can be waived by the Board with approval of
the rezoning when the applicant can demonstrate an alternate
approach to achieving the goals of the District. This
approach gives the maximum flexibility to both the County
and applicants to respond to unique characteristics and
issues on a project-by-project basis. It is anticipated
that the development of a town center in each Service
District will be something of an evolutionary process, as it
is difficult to predict the order in which sites will come
forward for development; the flexibility designed into the
ordinance is critical for responding to this evolution.
As part of the rezoning process, a
General Development Plan and Code of Development would be
approved for each project. These documents would govern the
build-out of the project. The General Development Plan
would show street layout, general land uses, and key
features of the development, such as civic buildings or
major open spaces. The Code of Development would specify
the types and character of uses allowed, and specific
guidelines for the design and layout of streets, buildings,
and open spaces, with substantial flexibility retained to
allow changes to the development as it evolves in order to
respond to market conditions.
Intent
The intent is to
create regulations which facilitate mixed use development
within the County’s Service Districts consistent with the
main-street form and pedestrian-oriented character
envisioned by the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Standards
for approval included in the proposed regulations (§4-918)
provide a summary of the intent of the MU Special District.
In summary, these standards require development in the MU
district to be designed with:
-
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan.
-
A mix of uses that help create a center for employment
as well as a center of retail, service, entertainment,
cultural and civic activities for workers, residents and
visitors.
-
A mix of housing types to include a range of styles,
sizes and price ranges.
-
A pedestrian orientation, with clearly defined sidewalks
and paths enhanced by trees, pocket parks, seating and
other streetscape elements, and with buildings located
close to the sidewalk and providing a variety of
pedestrian destinations.
-
Streets that are designed to consider their influence on
the character of the neighborhood as well as carrying
capacity, with narrower widths, on-street parking, and
multiple connections.
-
Open space treated as an integral component of the
development.
-
Minimization of parking, with parking dispersed and
located to the rear of buildings and garages and parking
areas fronting on alleys rather than streets.
-
Human-scaled and pedestrian oriented lighting and
signage.
-
Reasonable and sustainable transitions to adjoining
development.
Applicability
As currently
drafted, property located within areas designated for mixed
use in Service Districts as well as adjoining properties
designated residential could utilize the MU Special
District.
Text Amendment
Process
The Board of
Supervisors initiated this text amendment at their November
8, 2007 meeting. Staff provided an introduction to the
proposed amendment to the Planning Commission at their
October 25, 2007 work session. A Planning Commission public
hearing was initially scheduled for November 29, 2007, and
follow-up Planning Commission work sessions on the amendment
were held on December 4, January 4, January 31, February 15,
February 28, March 27, April 18 and April 24. Multiple
public hearings were also held, with the last public hearing
held and closed on April 24, 2008. The proposed ordinance
reflects significant input from the public and the Planning
Commission. On May 28, 2008, the Planning Commission
unanimously recommended approval of the proposed ordinance.
The Board of Supervisors held a work session and initial
public hearing on July 10, 2008, and an additional work
session and public hearing on October 9, 2008.
Staff has
incorporated several additional changes to the proposed text
based on feedback received from Board members since the last
hearing.
|