Agenda - Planning Commission - 06/06/1995

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THE ZONING REPORT Page Two ~lllowed by-right in the overlay are added to by-right office and business uses allowed in the base zones. In the application for the overlay district for the project, the developer can list c{dditional uses not otherwise allowed in the base zones and can delete others to assure a desired mix of uses in the project. Uses listed in the base zone conditionally or as special exceptions can be proposed in the overlay as by-right uses by the applicant and by-right uses can be proposed as conditional uses in the overlay area. The fourth and most common approach for regulating mixed-use projects is as a listing of residential PUDs or single-site residential com- plexes as conditional uses in office and busi- ness zones. The residential use is merely a one-line listing added to the text of the condi- tional use list in specified business zones. Standards required for residential PUDs or sin- gle-site residential complexes must be follow- ed. These standards can be modified or waived by the elected board to integrate the residen- tial uses with non-residential uses in the site plan. But as simple as this approach appears, it requires negotiation of all details and submis- sion of development plans and plats as required for PUDs. Development standards for mixed-use zoning There are few bulk standards~ perhaps only a minimum size of tract for the project and mini- mum zone yards along its perimeter. Minimum size of tract is 5-200 acres, typically 20 acres. Typical perimeter zone yards are 30-75 ft to streets and abutting residentially zoned or de- veloped properties. These yards must be land- scaped and contain appropriate buffers and screens. Maximum height often is waived.~ sub- ject to negotiation based on the project design. For maximum FAR and dwelling unit density, some codes impose FAR and density for the project as a whole, overriding the maximums imposed for the underlying zone. Other codes allow the applicant to propose the maximums subject to approval by the elected board. For mixed-use overlays~ most codes take the maxi- mum FAR and dwelling unit density of underly- ing base zones. Codes might impose an increase in maximum density and minimum size of dwel- ling unit by the number of bedrooms succes- sively as the intensity of underlying base of- fice and business zones increases. Maximum FAR and density might be increased through bonus incentives awarded for the site as a whole. Codes might impose a maximum percentage of residential uses in the project, perhaps 40% of total FAR. Or codes could apply the maximum -percentage as 50-60% of total project FAR and a minimum of 40-50% of FAR each to all resi- dential and to all non-residential uses. Special development standards for mixed-use projects often are imposed for parking, loading and signs. Parking and loading is encouraged to be located in common facilities except for parking spaces assigned to dwelling units and to office condominium units. These spaces must be separated from commercial spaces., perhaps · located in different parking lots or on differ- ent floors in parking buildings. This separation avoids the problem of retail customers and employees parking in assigned residential and condominium spaces. Codes might allow a 5- 10% reduction in the n~mber of shared parking spaces to gain the efficiency of the multiple use of these spaces. The number of parking spaces required for a mixed-use project is the sum of the number of spaces required for four types of uses derived from their parking ratios: (1), the GLA or floor area of commercial and offices common shared parking takes the ratio required for shopping centers for non-residential spaces; (2), the sum of the number of spaces derived from the re- quired ratios for each housing type for all dwelling units in the project; (3), the ratio for GLA or floor area of office condominiums so that at least one space is provided for each condominium unit, and separate parking is pro- vided for offices in a project with a major sep- arate office building or section; and, (4), the May 19, 1995 issue