Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/12/2017

Home

Special -Purpose Districts or Overlays For communities without mixed use zon- ing districts, there may be opportunities to adopt new pedestrian- or transit -oriented zoning districts or overlays. These special- purpose districts or overlays typically permit higher -density mixed residential and commercial development and include form controls, such as build -to lines or permis- sible frontages or building types, to ensure that new development supports walking and transit use. District or overlay stan- dards may also reduce minimum off-street parking requirements to facilitate higher density development. Many state QAPs include location - efficiency measures that can provide a useful starting point for conversations about dis- trict or overlay boundaries. For example, the QAPs for California, New Jersey, and Texas all include points for development within a half - mile of public transportation. Incentives for LIHTC-Eligible Projects In addition to district -specific standards, communities can also support LIHTC-eligible projects through use -specific standards. These may be incentives, such as bonus den- sity or reduced minimum off-street parking requirements, for affordable housing proj- ects that satisfy target income requirements and QAP location factors. Alternately, they may be use -specific development standards that offer affordable housing developers flex- ibility in site and building design. For example, rapidly growing city of Marysville, Washington, provides a 5o per- cent density bonus for affordable housing development (§22C.o9o). These projects must permanently offer all units at rents affordable to households earning 5o percent AMI. Projects reserved for residents over age 62 are eligible for a higher maximum density on sites of less than five acres. Communities can also adopt use -spe- cific standards to facilitate adaptive reuse of existing structures originally designed for nonresidential use. Near downtown, these may be obsolete industrial buildings near existing amenities and services. In residen- tial neighborhoods, these may be surplus or obsolete institutional buildings near parks or high -performing schools. To illustrate, Whitehall Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, permits the adaptive reuse of former commercial, institutional, or industrial buildings in all residential districts for affordable housing projects (§27-199.1 etseq.). Projects consist- ing exclusively of units that meet all LIHTC program requirements qualify for higher permissible densities and lower minimum off-street parking requirements. CONCLUSIONS The debate on where poor families should live is heated and happening in almost every community across the country. Despite a lack of evidence, the NIMBY sentiment is clear: Housing for the poor decreases property values, lowers school performance metrics, and increases crime rates. However, in many instances, exclusionary zoning practices have resulted in where we are today —patchworks of inequitable communities where poor fami- lies are deprived of opportunities that are easily attainable by middle -income families. In the same manner that many progres- sive zoning codes are promotiniwatkability by supplementing Euclidean zoning practices with form -based districts and standards, why not view zoning through the lens of social equity? Reforming zoning codes to make room for affordable housing is an important step in the right direction. In many communi- ties, supporting social equity lies at the inter- section of affordable housing and zoning. A better understanding of the backgrounds, and policies that guide Low -Income Housing Tax Credit projects will equip communities to proactively shape their communities fora future that provides opportuni- ties for all families and children. Mixing tax credit housing mixed with other types of hous- ing in compact, walkable, vibrant places results in stronger, more equitable com- munities because they (1) foster the next generation of leaders; (2) benefit the larger community; and (3) result in positive out- comes for families. The need for affordable housing exists whether we choose to address it or not, and ;ERIDE ZONINGPRACTICE 9.17 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 6