Community Leaders Presentation

Zoning Code Update
DEKALB COUNTY | Georgia
Presentation to the Community Leaders
Commissioner Gannon Super Districts 6
Commissioner Jeff Rader, District 2
May 20, 2013
Department of Planning & Sustainability
POND & COMPANY, CONSULTANTS
Today’s briefing:
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Define the purpose and intent of the Zoning Code
Update
Review the ordinance format
Briefly describe each article
Highlight improvements that may effect your
community.
Obtain your comments and recommendation
The ZCU aims to implement the adopted 2025
Comprehensive Plan
Adopted Concept Map
Mixed Use Activity Centers
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Cut down on traffic by
creating mixed use,
walkable communities.
Identify the best locations
for new growth
Promote redevelopment
of underutilized retail
centers
Provide “predictability”
by creating standards
Protect single family
neighborhoods
Intent: Create a user-friendly document
Simplified District Categories
 Inserted Graphics and Created Tables
 Changed Nomenclature to Reflect Graduated
Densities
 Consolidated Underused Zoning Districts
 Created Transitional Densities and Building
Forms
 Consolidated Parking Standards in a single Article
Intent: Create New Design Standards and
Criteria for Development
To protect neighborhoods with new standards
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Infill development
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Transitions in height and lot size
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Streetscapes, sidewalks, and street trees
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Thresholds requiring traffic impact study for
commercial development
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Improved the Open space and recreation standards
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Higher Quality Building materials
The New Zoning Ordinance
Consists 9 Articles
 Article 1: General Requirements
 Article 2: Zoning Districts
 Article 3: Overlay Districts
 Article 4: Use Table and Regulations
 Article 5: Site Design and Building Form Standards
 Article 6: Parking
 Article 7: Administration and Enforcement
 Article 8: Non-conforming Situations
 Article 9: Definitions
Article 1: General Requirements
 Purpose and intent
 General applicability and authority
 NEW “ The director of planning is designated to administer,
interpret and enforce the provisions of Chapter 27…”
 NEW “ Whenever any conflict arises with Chapter 14, the
provisions of this ordinance shall prevail.”
 NEW Transitional Provisions “ The zoning district names in
effect prior to the effective date of this development code are
converted as shown in Table 1.1
Article 1: District Conversions
“Removed Unused Districts - Consolidated from 35 to 27”
Single Family Residential
 Reduced from 11 districts to 8
 No change to R75, R85, R100 (incorporates public input)
Small Lot & Multi-Family Residential
 Reduced from 12 to 6
 Attached and mixed residential
Mixed Use
 Increased from 4 to 5
 Implements the Activity Centers and Commercial Corridors
(links back to Comprehensive Plan)
Non residential (commercial/industrial)
 No change – 8 districts
Zoning District
RE
RE
RE
R-60
R-SM
MR-1
HR-1
R-100
mm
Red er cial
me evelop
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Hig
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ay
Co
rrid
or
stri
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Co
Lig
ht I
ndu
stri
al
Ind
u
itut
ion
al
Ins
t
O ff
ice
P
ark
nte
r
ion
al C
e
Reg
ent
er
nC
Tow
Tra
d
Nei ition
al
ghb
orh
ood
Nei
ghb
or
Cen hood
te r
Sub
ur b
an
Ru
Res ral
ide
nti a
l
Article 1.2.3 The character areas and
zoning districts remain compatible.
M
C-2
R-SM
HR-1
R-LG
R-LG
R-LG
R-SM
MR-1
MR-2
HR-2
R-85
M-2
O-D
MR-1
HR-2
R-100
R-100
R-100
MR-1
MR-2
HR-1
MU-1
R-75
O-D
O-I
MR-2
MU-1
R-85
R-85
R-85
MR-2
HR-1
HR-2
MU-2
R-60
C-2
M
MU-1
MU-2
M-2
MU-2
MU-3
MU-3
MU-4
R-75
R-75
R-75
MU-1
HR-2
HR-3
MU-3
R-SM
R-NCD
R-60
R-60
MU-2
MU-1
MU-1
MU-4
MR-1
MHP
R-NCD
R-NCD
MU-3
MU-2
MU-2
NS
MR-2
NS
C-1
NS
MHP
R-SM
NS
MU-3
MU-3
C-1
MU-1
C-1
C-2
R-SM
MR-1
C-1
MU-4
MU-4
C-2
MU-2
C-2
O-D
MU-1
MU-1
O-I
MU-5
MU-5
O-I-T
MU-3
O-I
O-I
NS
MU-2
O-I-T
O-I
O-I
O-I
O-I
O-D
O-I-T
C1
NS
O-I-T
O-I-T
O-D
O-I-T
O-I-T
M
O-I-T
C-1
C-1
C-1
O-I
O-I-T
C-2
C-2
M-2
Article 2: District Regulations
 Added dimensional requirements table (i.e.
lot size, setbacks, house size, etc.)
 Created density “ranges” for cottage housing,
attached, multifamily and mixed residential.
 Created “incentives” for increasing densities
to maximum levels
Table 2.2: Dimension Table
Article 2: Summary of Medium to High
Density Residential Zoning Districts reflect
density ranges
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Table 2.3
Zoning District
Density
Eligible Character Areas
Small Lot
Residential Mix
R-SM
4-8
Suburban, Traditional Neighborhood,
Neighborhood Center, Town Center,
Institutional, Commercial Redevelopment
Corridor
Medium Density
Residential -1
MR-1
8-12
Traditional Neighborhood, Neighborhood
Center, Town Center, Institutional,
Commercial Redevelopment Corridor
Medium Density
Residential - 2
MR-2
12-24
Neighborhood Center, Town Center,
Institutional, Commercial Redevelopment
Corridor
High Density
Residential -1
HR-1
24-40
Town Center, Regional Center, Office Park,
Highway Corridor
High Density
Residential -2
HR-2
40-60
Town Center, Regional Center, Office Park,
Highway Corridor
High Density
Residential -3
HR-3
60-120
Regional Center
Article 2: Density is incentivized by
quality of development and location
20% more density units
◦ Applicant provides public improvements (bus shelters, public trail, etc)
◦ Locate within ¼ mile of transit stop
◦ Locate within ¼ mile from amenities (senior center, schools, shopping)
50% more density units
◦ LEED or Earthcraft certification
◦ 10% dwellings for very low income or 25% seniors, etc
◦ Opportunity/Enterprise Zone
◦ Additional enhanced open space
100% more than base
◦ Provide 15% more enhanced open space
◦ Locate within ¼ mile of MARTA rail station
Cumulative approach
Article 2: The density bonus might look
like this scenario:
Scenario One:
Old District/density - RA-8 / 8 units per acre
New District/ density - R-SM/ 4-8 units per acre
Character Area/ density- Suburban / 8 units per acre
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Property exists as RA-8
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Converts to R-SM with adoption of update.
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If property is located outside an activity node, no proximity to public amenities – 4
units per acre
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If property is within ¼ mile of a senior center – 4.8 units per acre (20% bonus)
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If applicant proposes LEED certified homes – 6 units per acre (Max allowed in
Suburban)
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If applicant proposes 15% more enhanced open space – 8 units per acre
Article 3: Overlay Districts
Propose to:
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Standardize Applicability – Establish
policy of whether Overlay supersedes
everything, including conditions
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Standardize plan submittal
requirements
Article 4: Use Table and Regulations
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Consolidates all districts and uses into one
easy to use table
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Adds new uses: Accessory dwellings, Senior
Housing, Farmers Markets, Urban Gardens,
Backyard Chickens
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“New and improved” supplemental regulations
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New Wireless Telecommunication standards
based on technology changes and FCC laws
We accepted the cell tower industry’s new
terms and technology but we made the
restrictions and procedures our own.
SLUP’s required in all residential districts
 Height and setback variances by ZBA, not
the director
 Still have to justify new structure, and why
they cannot co-locate on another tower.
 Require structures built to allow colocation by other users.
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Table 4.1 Use Table
Article 5: Site Design and Building
Form Standards Increase Quality and
Protect Neighborhoods
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Added clear and enforceable standards/helpful illustrations
to address:
Compatible with existing residential
Street design, sidewalks and street trees standards
Traffic Studies Thresholds for new developments
Landscape standards for roads and parking lots
Open space and enhanced open space (functional)
Building forms, street orientation, and quality building
materials, façade treatments
New development types: cottage homes and townhouse
products (aging in place, lifelong communities)
Article 5: Graphics help illustrate yards
and setbacks
Article 5: Measurement Illustrations
help interpret standards
Article 5: Transition elements are
required to create compatibility
Article 5: Transitional Height Plane
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5.2.4
Article 5: Streetscape standards
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5.4
Article 5: Streetscape standards
Graphics illustrate transitional
buffer standards
Article 5: 50% of the Open Space must
be enhanced & functional Types
Article 5: Quality building materials and façade
increase quality of homes
Article 5: Building Forms and Materials
Applies to all new, substantial
redevelopment and renovation
 Exempts structures deemed
“grandfathered”
 Exempts historic structures and some
infill if new standards incompatible with
existing structures in neighborhood
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Article 5: This new development type is a
cottage development
Article 6 Parking
Consolidated parking table with minimum
and maximum allowable parking spaces
 New and improved regulations for:
◦ Shared parking
◦ Shared driveways and interparcel access
◦ Parking decks
◦ Drive-throughs
◦ Valet parking
◦ Alternative fuel parking
◦ Bicycle and moped parking
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Article 7: Administration and
Enforcement
Describes the authority of the County’s governing
bodies:
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The Board of Commissioners
The Planning Commission
The Zoning Board of Appeals
The Planning Director
NEW “Sec.7.3.3 The Board of Commissioners is
authorized to consider concurrent variances with
applications for rezoning and special land use
permits.”
NEW Both the director and the ZBA have new
“criteria” for waivers or variances to Art 5 design
standards.
Article 8: Non-conforming Situations
New and improved provisions for:
 Evidence needed to determine
“grandfathering”
 Lot mergers -expanded to consider average
lot size in existing neighborhoods
 Addresses all Non-Conformities such as
uses, structures, parking and landscaping
 Nonconformities caused by government
action and “rezoning which causes nonconformities” (NEW)
 Situations of buildings where structures are
damaged or destroyed are allowed to build
back if within a reasonable time frame.
Article 9: Definitions
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Forty two pages of new and improved
definitions, including helpful illustrations.
Building footprint The outline
of the total area covered by
a buildings perimeter at the
ground level.
Questions?