to: Mayor and Town Council
from: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
subject: Public Hearing: Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendments – Residential-Special Standards-Conditional Zoning District
date: September 17, 2008
Tonight, the Council considers a revised application from Ram Development Company for a Land Use Management Ordinance text amendment. The application proposes to amend the Residential-Special Standards-Conditional zoning district. The purpose of this cover memorandum is to provide some general background information, to comment on reasons the Council might consider this text amendment and to forward my preliminary recommendation.
Tonight’s Public Hearing has been scheduled to receive public comment about the proposed text amendments. We recommend that the Council conduct the public hearing on this proposed amendment to the Land Use Management Ordinance.
In February of 2007, the Town received Special Use Permit and rezoning applications from Ram Development Company for the Residences at Grove Park development. The applications proposed the redevelopment of a 12.9-acre site located between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Hillsborough Street. In order to accommodate the proposed land use intensity on this 12.9 acre site, accompanying the rezoning and Special Use Permit proposals was an application by Ram Development Company to create a higher density residential zoning district.
In May of 2008, the Council denied the application to create a higher density residential zoning district. The Council asked the staff and Ram Development Company to return to the Council with a zoning district proposal that would apply one of the current zoning districts in the Land Use Management Ordinance. On June 9, 2008, Council was supportive of the idea of a text amendment that would increase the floor area ratio in the Residential-Special Standards-Conditional District and better define its intended use.
Although there is much on-going discussion concerning future land development, and a great deal of work remains with respect to determining appropriate growth and managing that growth in the best interests of the community, I believe the Council should consider the applicant’s text amendment proposal. I believe that the proposed amendment to the Residential-Special Standards-Conditional District provides a useful planning tool that could help the Council implement some of the themes of the 2000 Comprehensive Plan including: promotion of affordable housing; encouragement of a balanced transportation system; promotion of a healthy downtown; protection of the natural environment through energy management and conservation; and/or promotion of public art in private development.
The proposed Ordinance amending the new zoning district does not rezone any properties within the Town’s planning jurisdiction. Its enactment would permit a property owner within the Town’s planning jurisdiction the opportunity to submit a rezoning application for the Council’s consideration.
The proposed Land Use Management Ordinance text amendment would increase the floor area ratio in the Residential-Special Standards-Conditional District and insert text into the ordinance describing the purpose and intent of the Residential-Special Standards- Conditional zoning district.
I believe the proposed changes to the Land Use Management Ordinance would benefit the community by providing the Council another tool for consideration in implementing goals of the Comprehensive Plan: 1) promoting affordable housing; 2) encouraging a balanced transportation system; 3) promoting a healthy downtown; 4) protecting the natural environment through energy management and conservation; and/or 5) promoting public art in private development.
My preliminary recommendation is that the Council enact the attached Ordinance approving the proposed Land Use Management Ordinance text amendment.