We sent 16 detailed recommendations to Council on 10 separate issues. Our Zoning Committee discussed all these issues in depth and did a great job at reaching consensus among widely diverse stakeholders. In no way can it be said that the CID is simply saying "no" to any changes. In fact, we've put together a list of recommendations that can make downtown stronger economically, enhance the pedestrian experience, enliven the street culture, and make The District even more vital.
We will continue to keep everyone updated on this issue. In the meantime, all recommendations are below.
Overall
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Recommend the city proceed with
current plans to have a consultant review zoning issues, putting C2 zoning and
parking at the top of the priority list.
Changes to zoning rules have the potential to
create unwanted outcomes and discourage important economic development. Because
of that, zoning revisions should be part of a thoughtful and deliberative
process that is guided by a professional consultant. Having an outside viewpoint will
help us avoid costly mistakes and point us to best practices in other cities.
Recommend a consistent set of
rules for all aspects of C2, rather than a conditional use permit process where
the rules are decided on a case-by-case basis.
A pre-determined set of rules brings certainty
to the development process and guarantees a fair and transparent process. Any changes should be codified,
easy to understand, and applied to all properties equitably.
Recommend the city encourage
desired types of developments through incentives, rather than prohibitions,
whenever possible.
“Carrots” should be an integral
part of any new changes. Effort should be taken to discover ways that desired
development could be incentivized or encouraged, rather than mandated.
General Zoning Designations
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Recommend that any parcels
rezoned C2 that are contiguous to the CID be included within the CID.
Many new developments adjacent to the CID add
unforeseen stress to the various services within the CID (solid waste,
maintenance, parking, etc.). By bringing them into the CID, these stressors can
be better planned for. In addition, the development and the tenants would
benefit from the increased services provided by the CID.
Encourage the expansion of C2
zoning where appropriate.
The goal here is not to expand C2 into
existing residential neighborhoods; rather, the goal is to support changes to
C2 zoning where appropriate. For instance, many downtown parcels are still
zoned for manufacturing even though the current use better fits with C2.
Setbacks
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In order to encourage a
pedestrian-friendly environment, setbacks should be discouraged in C2.
Downtowns are traditionally built to the
sidewalk, with zero setbacks. In fact, that’s one of the defining physical
features of a downtown—shops and restaurants lined up along the sidewalk with
passersby enjoying the activity. Downtown’s success relies on these highly
walkable, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks. Setbacks create holes in the street
front and dead spaces that discourage pedestrian traffic. In addition, requiring
a setback of 15 or 30 feet will reduce the useable space to the point where
constructing taller buildings becomes the only financially feasible option.
Historic Preservation
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The committee supports historic
preservation efforts but agrees that preservation should be an incentive-based
effort, citing the past success of using incentives to encourage preservation.
Locally and across the nation it’s been found
that one of the best ways to encourage historic preservation is through
incentives such as tax credits. Many communities are also encouraging creative,
cooperative efforts between the not-for-profit sector and state and county
governments. By focusing on positive ways to encourage preservation, we may be
able to move the dialogue in a direction that would allow various interest
groups to come together to promote and encourage historic preservation.
Landscaping
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No new requirements for
landscaping on private property should be established but the city should
continue to encourage greening of the public space.
Private landscaping should not be a
requirement in the commercial core given that it usually requires inappropriate
setbacks or an interruption in the streetscape. Instead of mandating private
green spaces, the emphasis should be placed on shared, public green spaces that
everyone is free to use. Public sidewalks should be landscaped with street
trees, planters and other similar elements. Public landscaping over and above
the current levels could be funded through a public-private partnership
agreement between the city and the developer. In addition, residents should be
encouraged to use the 4 parks surrounding the downtown (Peace Park, Flat Branch
Park, Douglass Park and Stephens Lake Park) as well as the MKT Trail for
recreation.
Trash
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Recommend the city require a
trash and recycling plan in line with the Downtown Solid Waste District for new
developments as part of the permitting process.
The development of high density residential
has placed severe stress on our Downtown Solid Waste District (SWD). Unlike
commercial areas outside of the CID where each business arranges for their own
dumpster, the SWD relies on a system of shared compactors and dumpsters. This
saves space (at a premium downtown) and keeps rates lower.
As apartments are developed, trash and
recycling services are often set aside in favor of maximizing the amount of
space for residential use. We’ve already found that residential developments
without compactors are overloading compactors in adjacent blocks. In addition,
as developments occur just outside the SWD and the initial development plan has
no provisions for compactor or recycling locations, residents will use the
nearby SWD locations without contributing into the SWD fund.
Sidewalks
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In an effort to make downtown
more walkable and encourage a lively sidewalk culture, recommend the city
develop a master plan for C2 sidewalks that addresses minimum widths.
Some downtown sidewalks are so narrow they
are not only difficult to traverse, they prevent sidewalk cafes, street
musicians, and other amenities. Having the city address minimum widths when a
parcel is redeveloped, or find ways to expand sidewalks that don’t require
setbacks, would allow for a livelier sidewalk culture and make it easier for
people to travel around downtown.
Height Restrictions
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Recommend a target height of 10
floors with bonus zoning options for desired types of development (such as
first floor commercial or internal floors of parking).
Building height is directly related to the question of density.
All too often, cities have found that residential-style zoning ordinances have
been inappropriately applied to urban, commercial areas negatively impacting
economic vitality and street culture. In addition, low-density development
prevents urban centers from reaching the critical mass of residents needed for
transit, retail, services, and other amenities (such as grocery stores).
However, it is important to ensure that an appropriate scale for our downtown
is maintained.
Bonus zoning is a common practice that allows
increased density or height in exchange for certain types of development, such
as first floor commercial. Bonus zoning can also be offered to developers who
add elements that counterbalance the added density, including bike share
stations, bike share funding, transit passes, transit station upgrades, zip
cars, sustainability additions, and more. Overall, this approach is more
“carrot” than “stick.”
Parking
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Encourage the expansion of public
and private parking solutions through the development of a comprehensive
parking plan for the entire downtown area.
The city, in consultation with large
employers, developers, owners of residential units, and other stakeholders,
should develop a long-term, comprehensive plan for managing parking in the
downtown area. This plan would serve as a blueprint for future decisions and
would aid developers and other entities when addressing their own parking
needs.
Small parking areas behind
buildings should be allowed.
Parking areas hidden behind buildings should
be encouraged, both as an alternative to lots directly abutting to the sidewalk
(which discourages pedestrian traffic) and as a way to partially address
parking for employees or residents.
Require a parking and
transportation plan for any entity that is adding new or additional downtown
parking needs over a certain threshold.
Adding new residents or new employees over a
certain number will necessarily cause stress on the existing parking system.
Any entity adding a significant number of people to downtown should submit a
parking and transportation plan designed to show where these people will park and/or
how alternate types of transportation will be encouraged. A plan could involve
a mix of onsite parking, city garage permits, lot sharing, FastCAT passes for
residents/employees, funding and placement of bike share stations, zip cars,
etc. This will allow each entity to create a set of solutions designed to fit
the needs of their tenants and will encourage creative solutions to the problem.
A city-approved plan would also help prevent the demolition of an existing
building simply to add a surface parking lot to address new parking needs.
(Note: A professional consultant could help
determine the appropriate threshold of new parking that would require a plan.)
Consider a residential user fee based on a certain threshold of
residents to be used for a parking and transportation solution as part of a
comprehensive parking plan for the area.
As part of an individual parking plan, an
entity can either provide parking and alternative transportation options or can
provide a yearly contribution to a city parking fund (eventually to be used to
fund a new garage or the rebuilding of one of the existing, 3-story garages.)
Design Guidelines
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Recommend the CID fund (FY2014) a
consultant to draft a set of voluntary, illustrated design guidelines for the
CID.
When the Broadway canopies were removed, the
SBD created and distributed a set of voluntary façade guidelines to owners
interested in options for fixing up their buildings. It proved useful for
people who wanted to do something but were unsure how to proceed. A clear set
of voluntary guidelines would provide a helpful incentive for developers who
would like to build something appropriate to our downtown.
