Agenda - Planning Commission - 06/02/2016

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SELECT BULK STANDARDS FOR TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS TN-1&TN-2Traditional GN-i GN-2 Neighborhood Low Density Medium Density Housing Conditions Well -maintained Minimum Lot Size 4,500-9,000 square feet Lot Coverage 35-5o% Maximum, Accessory Structure Allowance 600-80o square feet Less Stable More Stable 15,00o square feet (three traditional lots) 5,00o square feet (one traditional lot) 20% 5o% 1,00o square feet 80o square feet to adjacent home values, neighborhood stabil- ity, and public safety is significant. The master plan provided a wide range of potential agricul- ture and open space strategies for repurposing vacant lots and stabilizing adjacent properties. In translating this master plan policy to a zon- ing regulation, the zoning ordinance establish- es urban agriculture and community garden as permitted uses for both the GN-i and GN-2 dis- tricts. It is important to note that by indicating these uses are permitted as -of -right, the zoning ordinance permits properties to be solely oc- cupied by agricultural uses as the primary use, rather than as an accessory use for a single- family residence. Furthermore, complementing these two agricultural primary uses are a wide variety of permitted accessory uses includ- ing aquaculture, aquaponics, produce stand, greenhouse, hoop house, hydroponics, apiary/' beekeeping, chickenkeeping, and small-scale solar and wind energy production. Single-family homes are to remain the desired primary land use within Green Neigh- borhoods, but other uses must be allowed to spread through these neighborhoods, filling the gaps left behind by now vacant single- family lots. And while the intent is to put vacant parcels back into productive use, there is also potential for these new uses to negatively impact adjacent properties. As such, the zon- ing ordinance relies on a series of use -specific standards to mitigate potential negative im- pacts and ensure that green uses make for good neighbors. For example, while beekeeping is often viewed as problematic in more dense resi- dential settings, the zoning ordinance limits beekeepers to two hives with a maximum size of 20 cubic feet each, located to the rear third of the lot with a io-foot buffer from all lot lines and 25-foot buffer from any adjacent dwell- ing. In addition, a flyaway barrier such as a wall, fence, or dense vegetation is required to encourage bees to fly into the hive from above rather than from surrounding areas. NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND CITY CORRIDORS In the 196os, Flint was a community of nearly 200,000, with miles of growing highway cor- ridors bustling with new inline retail centers and shopping malls. Since that time, the city's population has shrunk by half, and the com- mercial landscape has shifted considerably ACCA 0 Aii4OciOivil# /dil,i The highlighted box indicates a larger lot created from assembly of smaller parcels. with new lifestyle centers, outlet malls, and a regional mall all located in outlying areas, be- yond city limits. in the fall of 2013, as the master plan was being drafted, city staff and dozens ofvolun- teers conducted a citywide commercial proper- ty inventory. The inventory revealed that more than one-third of the city's 3,211 commercial properties were vacant lots. Of the commercial parcels containing a structure, 1,452 (69 per- cent) were currently in use while the remaining 584 (28 percent) were unoccupied. While Flint's struggles with population and job loss are well documented, it is not alone in its battle to reinvigorate aging commercial corridors. Like many cities across the country, Flint grew with the baby boom as retail strips with modern shopping centers supplanted the downtown with the promise of convenience and ample parking. Some 5o years later, the down- town is experiencing a renaissance, with nearly $40o million in investment since 2004, while the city's aging commercial corridors continue to decline, comprising much of Flint's more than 1,10o vacant commercial parcels. With fewer than half of all commercial parcels actually in use, it is clear that drastic change is needed to stabilize Flint's commer- cial districts. The master plan includes two place types with a commercial land -use focus: Neighbor- hood Center and City Corridor. Neighborhood Centers provide opportunities to create mixed use, local -serving commercial districts that contribute to neighborhood character. City Corridors are auto -oriented but pedestrian - friendly commercial areas where tot consolida- tion and access management are used to ad- dress issues of shallow lot depth and proximity to residential areas. Both place types are used sparingly on the land -use map, with the intent of concentrating commercial activity in targeted areas to establish and maintain unique dis- tricts and vibrant nodes. In addition to land -use strategies, the city and its partners should focus small busi- ness assistance in areas designated for future commercial land use and limit use of programs in noncommercial areas as directed by the land -use plan. Similarly, the use of incentives should also be considered to attract and sustain development in priority areas. The master plan also encourages the city to repurpose publicly owned property to help establish momentum in target areas and transition publicly owned sites in other areas to noncommercial uses. ZONINGPRACTICE 5.16 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 4