HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated January 14, 2003 l ITEM # C2 9
DATE 01/14/03
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: MOTION TO APPROVE A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING
ORDINANCE AMENDING REGULATIONS IN THE "F-VR" VILLAGE RESIDENTIAL
DISTRICT PERTAINING TO BUILDING FRONTAGE AND GARDEN WALL
REQUIREMENTS FOR VILLAGE APARTMENTS.
BACKGROUND:
Through the administration of the "F-VR" Village Residential District regulations, staff has
noted a requirement that needs to be amended in order to be consistent with the intent of
the village district regulations. The regulation in question controls the placement of
buildings and garden walls within the Village Apartment areas.
When Somerset was first being planned, the firm of Duany, Plater-Zyberk and Company
(DPZ) was hired to create a Master Plan for the development. Companion to the Master
Plan for Somerset, DPZ submitted a set of regulations governing the placement of
buildings, streets, and open space within the development. DPZ is largely considered the
leaders in the country with regard to village development. Regulations created by DPZ are
used by many towns, cities, and counties throughout the country, as well as the world, to
regulate neo-traditional (village) development.
When Somerset was approved by the City Council in April 1997, it was approved as a
series of Planned Unit Developments (PUD) with a Zoning Change Agreement that
outlined the responsibilities of the Developer and the City. The Zoning Change Agreement
contained regulations governing the placement of buildings, streets, and open space within
the development. These regulations were based largely on the regulations supplied by
DPZ.
In May 2000, a new Zoning Ordinance was adopted. In the new ordinance, a Zoning
District was created, "F-VR" Village Residential District, to regulate development within
village developments. These regulations were also based largely on the DPZ regulations
and the regulations provided in the Zoning Change Agreement.
The current regulations in the "F-VR"Village Residential District, regarding the placement
of buildings and garden walls in the Village Apartment areas, is not consistent with the
regulations as they were provided by DPZ and approved by the City Council.
The current regulations are as follows:
Table 29.1201(7)-6
Village Residential (F-VR) Floating Zone Urban Regulations
Village Apartments
URBAN REGULATIONS F-VR ZONE
Building Placement • Village Apartment structures shall be
constructed where the front fagade of the
structure shall extend along 70% of the
front property line.
• Where no building wall is constructed, a
fence or garden wall shall be constructed
on the property line.
The same regulations as provided by DPZ and approved by the City Council with the
Zoning Change Agreement for Somerset states the following:
• The street fapade shall extend along a minimum of 70% of the
Frontage Line, and a minimum of 30% of the side-street Frontage
Line on corner lots.
• Where no building wall is present, a garden wall shall be built along
any side Frontage Line adjacent to a street.
The difference between the two sets of regulations is considerable. For instance, the F-VR
regulations require that on a corner lot, a building wall must be extended along 70% of the
Frontage Line and 70% of the side-street Frontage Line. Under the initial regulations from
DPZ, the requirement is for a building wall to be extended along 70% of the Frontage Line
and 30% of the side-street Frontage Line. Furthermore, the current regulations require that
where no building wall is present on a Frontage Line (side and front on a corner lot), a
garden wall must be constructed. Under the DPZ approach, the garden wall was only
required where no building wall was present on the side-street Frontage Line. The purpose
of this garden wall is to screen parking that would be located to the rear of the apartment
building and to help form a consistent street edge. A garden wall is not needed on the
Frontage Line to screen parking or create a consistent street edge, as 70%of that frontage
will contain a building wall. The current requirement does not continue the original intent of
the DPZ Master Plan.
Therefore, staff is proposing a text amendment to the "F-VR"Village Residential District to
replace the current frontage and garden wall requirements in the Village Apartment area
with wording utilized in the original DPZ plan and the Zoning Change Agreement for
Somerset. The proposed text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance is as follows (changes
are in bold italics or c+r,GUen thre irvh):
2
Table 29.1201(7)-6
Village Residential (F-VR) Floating Zone Urban Regulations
Village Apartments
URBAN REGULATIONS F-VR ZONE
Building Placement . Village Apartment structures shall be
ro�aocteed where the frrGnt fagade of the
ctr� Gti ire shall tend alenn 70% of the
aa-avrar�,rr-rctrr-e�Cc v-�v v�crrc
front property line extend along a
minimum of 70% of the Frontage Line,
and a minimum of 30% of the side-street
Frontage Line on corner lots.
• Where no building wall is constructed, a
fence or garden wall shall be constructed
on any side-street Frontage Line
adjacent to a street
Staff believes that these proposed changes will result in more consistent development with
respect to village apartment construction in line with commonly recognized Traditional
Neighborhood Design principles.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION:
The Planning &Zoning Commission reviewed the proposed text amendment to the Zoning
Ordinance at their meeting of December 18, 2002 and approval was recommended.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve the proposed text amendment to the "F-VR" Village
Residential District of the Zoning Ordinance.
2. The City Council can deny the proposed text amendment to the "F-VR" Village
Residential District of the Zoning Ordinance.
3. The City Council can refer the text amendment to the "F-VR"Village Residential District
of the Zoning Ordinance back to staff for further review and comment.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended that Alternative#1 be adopted. Alternative#1 is a recommendation for
approval of the proposed text amendment to the "F-VR" Village Residential District of the
Zoning Ordinance.
Attachment
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