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Zoning Location in Standard Description Examples Zoning Code Districl Standards applicable to Permitted and Zomng d~stricts all uses and develop- conditional uses; tot ment in a zoning d~stricL size; setbacks; allowable dwelhng umts; floor area ratios. Use Standards apphcable to Home occupations, Zomng d~slncts and a specific use. second dwelling units; special development temporary uses; standards sudace mimng; bed and breakfast inns. Pedormance Objective threshold Noise standards; air Special development standards d~rec~ed al quality slandards; standards minimizing a specific hazardous materials; nuisance or improving the list others thai include quality ol development, examples needed to show quality orientation. Procedural Administrative and Zoning code amend- Administration Standards legislative procedures ments; design review; appeals procedures; and variances. Design Subjective criteria Architectural guidelines; Zoning districts; sign Guidelines directed at improving landscaping guidelines; regulations; parking the appearance of historic preservation; regulations; historic buildings, the sile, and natural resource preservation; hillside natural resource protection, development protection. Generally, fewer districts are better. More than 15 usually suggests the potential for combining or eliminating districts. For counties, the diversity of urban and rural conditions may necessitate more. An excessive number invites zoning changes and legal challenges, needlessly complicates the zoning code, and makes the differences hard to justify and explain. Let your comprehensive plan map be your guide. Overlay Zones. Overlay or combining zones allow special regulations to exist within a zoning district but only for those areas designated on the zoning map. They should be used judiciously because the3, increase the zoning code's complexity. Consider eliminating overlay regulations in favor of exceptions to the zoning district regulations or the list of permitted and conditional uses. The "additional regulations" column suggested earlier could contain footnotes referencing the exceptions. Design Guideli~,es. Design review historically has been a major part of zoning administration. Until recently, most design standards were either unpublished or published as separate documents. The reason for separate zoning and design guidelines has less to do with necessity than with a prevalent belief that the objective nature of ordinance language and the subjective nature of&sign guidelines do not mix. This is changing to a new belief that combining standards and guidelines makes code administration easier and communicates to the public all relevant development criteria. Because of their special nature, design gui&lines should be ctcarly separated. At a minimum, design guidelines should be in a separate section but integrated with, for example, zoning district regulations. Some zoning codes use colored paper or a different page-numbering system to distinguish the regulations from the guidelines. Changing the page numbering is not recommended. Language should be included describing their relevance to the development review process. Sig;~ and Parking Regulations. Sign regulations are often the most complicated part of zoning codes. But due to their hcaW reliance on numerical standards, they are well suited for use in tables. Good definitions are important, with supplementary graphics a real plus. Consolidate sign regulations into a single major code division rather than dividing them into the zoning district regulations. This will minimize page turning to find reference definitions and sign regulations applicable to all zoning districts. The same applies to parking regulations. However, landscaping and parking regulations often overlap. Address only the parking lot landscaping standards unique to parking lots and cross-reference general landscaping standards found elsewhere. Make sure the use classifications found in the zoning districts match those in the parking requirements table. Nonconforming Regulations. Nonconforming regulations apply to uses, structures, site improvements, and lots. At a minimum, all these should be discussed under separate section headings. Enforcement issues and administration of zoning regulations involving conditions that predate the existing zoning code should also be addressed under separate section headings. Typical problem areas include the continuation of nonconforming uses and amortization periods, parking requirements for changes of use, the keeping of animals, When Establishing Zoning Districts... · Minimize the total number of zoning districts. · Group all similar zoning districts together. For example, all high-density residential zoning districts should be in the same division. Likewise, all comme?cial and industrial districts should be combined into their own divisions. · Use simple district names and designators, such as Commercial Retail (CR). Begin all residential zoning districts with "R", "C" for commercial, and "I' for industrial. This will make certain referencing easier: "There shall be a 25-foot setback adjacent to an), R District. ' · Numeric designators for residential zoning districts should relate to lot size or residential density rather than the number of districts, such as RL-6 (Residential Log, Densit7 with a 6,000-square-foot minimum lot size) or RH-20 (Residential High Density allo~ving up to 20 dwellings per net acre). Avoid R-I, R-2 and R-3, unless these designators give information about the district. exceptions, criteria for restoration of damaged structures and for historic preservation, and specially targeted uses such as adult entertainment facilities and signs. Permit Procedures. Once again, permit procedures should be simple and grouped together. Consider substituting "conditional" for "permitted" uses. Examine the types of conditions commonly found in permits that your agency has been issuing, and substitute