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The town center in Smyrna,
<br />Georgia, is host to private
<br />housing, retail and office space,
<br />a city hall~courthouse, and
<br />public safety building. The
<br />development has been a catalyst
<br />for Smyrna's downtown renewal
<br />and community identity.
<br />
<br />development with investments in community facilities--a
<br />library, community center, seniors' center, city hall and
<br />courthouse, and police station and jail. Its success represents a
<br />powerful example for many decimated suburban communities
<br />across America."
<br />
<br /> Say It in the Ordinance
<br />Communities most easily meet their objectives for town center
<br />areas if they articulate those objectives completely and concisely
<br />in the ordinance. Ambiguity or vagueness in the text of a zoning
<br />ordinance will frustrate and confuse developers, residents, and
<br />planners, resulting in project delays, misguided development,
<br />and unnecessary costs. Simple but clear illustrations depicting
<br />various land-use scenarios such as setbacks can further clarify
<br />the ordinance's requirements.
<br /> The Niskayuna ordinance provides enough detail in its town
<br />center overlay district ordinance to prevent such problems. The
<br />ordinance provides the following:
<br />
<br />· A well-defined purpose of the town center overlay district.
<br />
<br />· A set of objectives necessary to achieve the town center concept.
<br />
<br />· Provisions for signage, including: the purpose of the sign
<br /> requirements; permitted and prohibited signs; and minimum
<br /> performance criteria such as materials, height, size,
<br /> illumination, logo, color, lettering, setbacks, and the number
<br /> of signs permitted per use.
<br />
<br />· Pedestrian and streetscape amenities, including the purpose
<br />for the amenities and minimum performance criteria for
<br />sidewalks, bikeways, lighting, parking, and landscaping.
<br />
<br />· Architectural review standards, including the purpose of the
<br /> standards and minimum performance criteria, for color,
<br />
<br />Zoning News is a monthly newsletter published by the American Planning Association.
<br />Subscriptions are available for $50 (U.S.) and $65 (foreign). Frank S. So, Executive Director;
<br />William R. Klein, Director of Research.
<br />Zoning News is produced at APA. Jim Schwab and Mike Davidson, Editors; Shannon
<br />Armstrong, Bart,/Bain, Jerome Cle}and, Fay Dolnick, SanjaI'Jeer, Mcgan Le~,is, Matya Morris,
<br />Bccki Rec~laff, Reporters; Cynflfia Chcski, Assistant Editor; Lisa Barton, Design and
<br />Production,
<br />Copyright ©1998 by American Planning A~sociadon, 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600,
<br />Chicago, IL 60603. The American Planning Association has headquarters offices at 1776
<br />Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036.
<br />All rights reserved. No part of chis publication may be reproduced or utilized in any Corm or by
<br />any means, electronic or mechanical, including phmocopying, recording, or by any information
<br />storage and retrieval syslem, without permission in writing dom the American Planning
<br />Association.
<br />Printed on recycled paper, including 50-70% recycled fiber
<br />and 10% poslconsumer waste. ~
<br />4
<br />
<br />building materials, mechanical equipment, architectural
<br />features, and details for exterior facade-related characteristics
<br />like eaves, columns, pilasters, cornices, and windows.
<br />
<br />Architectural review board information, including duties and
<br />credentials.
<br />
<br />Application procedures for the planning and architectural
<br />review boards.
<br />
<br /> Zoning is always likely to raise a few eyebrows, especially
<br />when more restrictive regulations are used to protect unique
<br />areas. The type of zoning used in town center areas can be a
<br />radical change for communities with sprawl-like development
<br />and segregated uses.
<br /> Proponents of town center zoning argue that these seemingly
<br />drastic zoning policies are not only legal but quite reasonable.
<br />Arendt says establishing maximum front setbacks, regulating
<br />building height, and requiring off-street parking in the rear of a
<br />building are perfectly acceptable regulations, in no way
<br />infringing upon the rights of property owners. Still, some
<br />regulations require special ordinances. For example, Arendt
<br />suggests that communities may want to link certain standards
<br />like regulating building design with land-use intensity.
<br />Therefore, low-intensity establishments such as bookstores and
<br />antique shops may be viewed as by-right uses and subject to
<br />limited standards like setbacks and parking. More intense
<br />developments that call for conditional or special-use permits
<br />would perhaps be required to undergo a design review process
<br />and should therefore be considered privileges rather than
<br />entitlements.
<br /> Today's town centers have retained many of the same
<br />characteristics as their town square ancestors: plenty of public
<br />gathering space, central location, and access to business and
<br />civic services. Still, Americans' needs have changed considerably.
<br />Providing ample parking space and giving the town center
<br />excessive, almost commercial-like, visibility can be an effective
<br />measure in accommodating today's busy lifestyles. However,
<br />such planning strategies must be undertaken with careful
<br />consideration if the town center's charm, desirability, and
<br />historic character are to be preserved. To destroy these qualities
<br />is to undermine the forces that originally attracted people to the
<br />town center. Therefore, it is important that planners and
<br />community residents establish not only goals and objectives for
<br />the town center, but clear zoning policies that address public
<br />gathering areas, architectural styles, building materials, setbacks,
<br />street cross-sections, landscaping, streetscape, and parking.
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