Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/06/2005

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CASE STUDIES Planners should evaiuate a zoning code from a practical viewpoint with attention to many situations that evolve as the code takes effect. Qualitative evaluation recog- nizes that an appiicadon is not ius¢ an appli- cation and a decision is not iust a decision. Each case tells its own story. The case study provides an excellent approach to qualitative code analysis. Case studies should consist primarily of photos and graphics. Sometimes before and after comparisons are useful. At other times, comparin§ a case with a §eneric project that meets the objectives and intent of the code can suffice. Case studies illus- trate the carla's activity and generate interest and involvement that purely quantitative analysiS; and narrative cannot. Case studies provide a link between theory and experi- once, between idea and reality, They provide an opportunity to view code performance in a concrete context. They are a practical way to communicate quality performance and to dis- piny code applications. Case studies should be concise, precise, and clearly illustrated to have the greatest effect and usefulness. Well-done case studies are educational and lead to viewpoints and solutions that are based on reaFlife conditions. CONCLUSION A commitment to on~oin~' monitoring and evaluation is an essential component of a code revision project. The codification of that commitment is aiso essential. Indeed, these are the startin~ points. The reflection of suc- When property owners and developers have codified standards and §mphics to refer to, it's more likely the,/wilt incorporate those stan- dards into their plans from the start, This ~ives applicants a better idea of the review require- ments and timeUnes they face, Rochester's new design regulations have raised the bar for both the quality of submissions and public expectations, This is illustrated very well in the case of a recent proposal for a large-scale supermarket, compared to an unfortunate and unsuccess~l earlier desi§n. Overall, the quality of development pro- posais has improved as a result.of the citywide desi§n requirements. Applicants often prefer to conform to the requirements rather than go through lengthy variance or modification approval processes. The staff provides techni- cai assistance and guidance in an effort to achieve desired resutts in a code-compliant and economical way. This is evidenced by Case Study 5, where significant changes were made to tile plans for a single-family dwelling to make it fit in the context of the neighborhood. Case Study 6 addresses the issue of the universal application of design standards and guidelines throughout the city regardless of a particular neigt~borhood's economic status, In the past, proiects in somewhat distressed areas would be approved based on the "some[bin8 is better than nothing" approach. This case study shows a proiect that was turned away in iust such a neighborhood on the premise that every neighborhood deserves good urban design and that the wilt, in§ness to fore§o immediate economic devel- opmenl~ will allow more enduring, quality design in the future john Steinmerz :::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Case Study 4: ?'he plans far Wegman's supermarket demonstrate an improved quality of submissions and ~n attempt to meet new design guidelines. Case Study 5: Changes to the code make this single.family infill compatible with the character of the Wilder Terrace neighborhood. Case Study 6: This plan for an ice cream shop on 6enesee Street did not meet design standards and was ultimately abandoned. ZONING PRACTICE oZ,o5 224 ~,~,~,,~,~o~oc,~,o~, ~ ~