Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/15/2015

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• The intended scale of development and its corresponding relationship to the maximum size of the solar fence • The intended area of solar access, whether it is a rooftop to allow for solar energy sys- tems, or grade level to allow for year-round solar access for occupants • The required setbacks for development in the district in which the solar fence is being regulated Form -Based Regulations Form -based zoning regulations are becoming more commonplace in communities where the character of development is a priority. However, many communities still struggle to find the right balance between the regulations and their impacts on development approval and implementation. As communities develop form -based regulations, the following should be considered: • The extent to which form -based regulations should be applied, recognizing that not all areas in a community might warrant their application • The potential impacts on development feasibility due to additional development review or project cost • The level of staff, board, or commission expertise in assessing a development proposal and determining whether or not it conforms to subjective components of the code • Identifying other mechanisms to achieve a similar end, such as local historic designa- tion or planned development, for projects in a priority area of the community Housing Diversity "Aging in place" is a well-established planning concept. To be successful, communities must provide a diverse range of housing as well as complementary social services and transporta- tion systems to support the lifestyle of residents at all stages of life. However, many communities have zoning regulations that prohibit essential diversity in housing stock. Small -lot single-family homes, town houses, duplexes, and small apart- ment buildings are attractive for both aging emp- ty nesters and young professionals and families looking for a way into or a way to stay in the local housing market. When developing zoning regula- tions to address this, communities should con- sider community character, connectivity, access to transit and services, and on-site features. The character of development should be compatible with surrounding residential neigh- borhoods. Developments should be required to provide connections to surrounding areas in order to avoid isolation or segregation. Zoning districts that permit this type of housing should be mapped around areas that offer access to public transit, commercial goods and services, medical care, and other services sought by residents. Development should include on-site amenities and pedestrian accommodations that maximize mobility and quality of life for residents. TRANSFORMATION In some cases, what's currently on the ground just doesn't work anymore: A neighborhood is beyond the point of revitalization. Miles of commercial corridors are no longer viable. Va- cant industrial uses are not coming back. The circumstances and solutions to transformation are unique to every community, so there is no one -size -fits -all approach. However, there are several key questions that must be considered whenever transformation is sought. What do we want a given area to trans- form into? Hopefully, this is addressed through a quality plan. What about the rights of the property owners? If an area is truly in need oftrans- formation, itis likely that the permitted uses under existing zoning are not viable develop- ment options. However, this doesn't mean that property owners will automatically support a zoning change. Targeted education and aware- ness regarding the rationale for and anticipated benefits of a zoning amendment will likely be needed. How do we get from where we are to where we want to be? How do we manage the transition? Simply rezoning for what is envi- sioned in a plan may ignore what is already on the ground—buildings, uses, parcels, disjoint- ed ownership, etc. Transformational zoning has to balance short-term flexibility and long-term rigidity in order to "transition" overtime, rather than immediately. How do we garner support for transfor- mative zoning? Change often scares residents, property owners, and elected officials. Local education and awareness campaigns are often required to ensure adoption of transformative zoning regulations. This begins in the plan - making process, when consensus building is critical. It will also require the demonstration of how the proposed zoning change is a direct and appropriate response to the adopted plan. Flint, Michigan, offers a great example of a community looking to implement transfor- mational zoning. The city recently adopted the Imagine Flint Master Plan (imagineflint .com). The plan establishes a vision for one of the most economically depressed cities in the nation. The city is nearing completion of a comprehensive zoning update that reflects the goals of the master plan. The following subsections describe two examples of how transformative zoning is being used to reposi- tion entire portions of the city for redevelop- ment, reinvestment, and innovative uses, and describes the role of community education in securing the political and public will required to adopt the new regulations. Green Innovation Flint has more than 1,000 acres of vacant brownfield sites that formerly hosted large- scale automotive production. Much if this industry is gone, but new industries are emerg- ing. There is a growing interest in green indus- tries that would offer significant environmental and economic benefits. The challenge is that many of the specific types of uses are either untested or unknown. Flint needs a zoning approach that allows the vacant brownfields to become "sandboxes" for innovation—areas where nontraditional industry can have a test- ing ground that will draw innovation and in- vestment. In response to the vision and Green Innovation place -type established in the mas- ter plan, the zoning ordinance establishes the Greek Innovation District. However, as the task of drafting zoning regulations for these areas unfolded, several key questions and answers . emerged. What kind of uses are to be permitted? This district aims to support nontraditional green industries, so a creative approach was required to determine what uses would be permitted. The ordinance requires that a use must comply with two criteria:1) It must fall within a range of appropriate use categories (i.e., agriculture, research and development, light industry, heavy industry, etc.); and 2) It must relate to one or more identified green industries (i.e., renewable energy production, waste stream reduction, local food production, alternative transportation, etc.). How do we mitigate the impacts of the unknown? It is impossible to anticipate the full realm of potential impacts for uses that cur- ZONINGPRACTICE 8.15 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION Ipage5