Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/15/2015

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Effective Zoning Methods for Implementing Plans By Douglas Hammel, AICP From the beginning of our technical training, planners are taught to 'make no little plans.' We help communities think big about their futures, and we strive to create plans that cap- ture best practices and reflect a community's vision and aspirations. But how do we get from those big ideas to good development on the ground? Too often, there is a disconnect between a community's vision (i.e., its plan), its rules for development (i.e., its zoning ordi- nance), and the development that is proposed and built. This article introduces several con- siderations that can help planners bridge the gap between community vision and the real- ized built environment. It does so by identify- ing the best ways to amend or replace a zoning ordinance through calibration, modernization, and transformation. BEFORE WE ZONE, WE PLAN Ideally, planning is done to establish a local vision and course of action prior to undertaking zoning amendments aimed at implementing the plan. However, this linear model should not imply that planners disregard zoning dur- ing the planning process, or consider it an afterthought. Instead, planners should use the planning process as a way of setting the stage for zoning amendments. Plan for market realities. One of the big- gest challenges planners face is aligning a com- munity's vision with market realities. If this is not done during plan making, stakeholders will likely point out when draft zoning language is seen as a barrier to investment. Build consensus during plan making. Plan making should provide the opportunity for dialogue about density, sustainability, de- velopment character, and other topics that are commonly implemented through zoning. By the time zoning amendments are drafted, the ques- tion of "what do we want from development?" should already be answered. The question should instead be "how can zoning be used to best implement what we want?" Include clear and tangible recommenda- tions. While not every plan recommendation has a direct bearing on zoning, plans commonly address issues of land use, community charac- ter, environmental preservation, mobility, and other issues tied to development regulations. To the extent possible, plans should provide specific information that can be translated into zoning regulations and metrics. Consider other implementation tools. Many communities believe zoning is the solu- tion to address their problems. Zoning should be used to remove the regulatory barriers to good development, but other tools, such as financial incentives, partnerships, capital improvements, and special improvement dis:, tricts, should be used to encourage investment in targeted areas where development might otherwise not occur. A ZONING INTERVENTION Communities often begin zoning by asking the wrong questions. Sometimes, they focus immediately on the minutia like "What should our front setbacks be?" or "What kind of brick should we require?" In other instances, they ask "What kind of zoning do we need— Euclidean, form -based, performance-based, or hybrid?" These overlook the most fundamental QQ This image from the Flint, Michigan, Imagine Flint Master Plan clearly defines the desired character for new development and helped establish metrics for new zoning standards. ZONINGPRACTICE 8.15 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 2