AGENDA #4b
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Public Hearing: Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines -- Changes to Duplex Provisions
DATE: April 18, 2005
This Public Hearing has been called to consider changes to the duplex provisions of the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines as they relate to the appearance of duplex development.
BACKGROUND
May, 2002 The Council received a petition from the Northside Community about the damaging effects of duplex development in that neighborhood.
October, 2002 Ordinance amendment enacted temporarily prohibiting new duplex development in the R-2A, R-2 and R-3 zoning districts.
January, 2003 Land Use Management Ordinance enacted; prohibition on new duplex development extended to February 29, 2004.
Feb. 23, 2004 Ordinance amendment enacted to permit duplex development in the R-2 and R-3 zoning districts, with new restrictions on size and process for approval, and new design guidelines for duplexes. New duplex development prohibited in Northside.
March 1, 2004 The Council requested additional discussion about duplex regulations.
May 24, 2004 The Council received a Discussion Paper (Attachment 2) prepared by the Planning Department on the subject of Duplex Dwelling Units. Since the item required considerable discussion, the Council agreed to defer discussion on the topic to June 30th.
June 2, 2004 The Community Design Commission held a duplex workshop involving Commission members, citizens and Town staff. Summary minutes of the workshop are attached (Attachment 3) to this memorandum.
June 30, 2004 In order to allow the Community Design Commission time to forward a recommendation to the Town Council, the item was deferred to September 27, 2004.
August 18, 2004 The Community Design Commission recommended (Attachment 4) that the Town Council modify the Land Use Management Ordinance and Design Guidelines for Duplex Dwelling Units.
Sept. 27, 2004 The Council called Public Hearings to consider changes to duplex provisions of the Land Use Management Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines.
DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Since enactment of the duplex size provisions as well as the associated design guidelines, the Community Design Commission has had opportunity to review proposals for new duplexes, and has concluded that the provisions regulating duplexes currently in place are not sufficient. The Commission recommended that changes be made both to language in the Land Use Management Ordinance and to language in the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines.
Regarding Design Guidelines for duplexes, the Commission recommends that the following changes to the existing duplex design guidelines that are in the Comprehensive Plan: Recommended deletions are shown with strike-through; the next nine items would be added in replacement of the present language.
1.
A single front door to face street, if practicable;
2.
Appearance to resemble single-family dwelling;
3.
Height of structure comparable to nearby buildings;
4.
Garage doors not facing street, if practicable; and
5.
Limit front yard parking as much as possible.
1. The appearance of a new duplex structure shall be consistent, with respect to building materials, roof forms, and lot siting, to the neighborhood in which such structure is to be built.
2. The size, height, and form of a new duplex structure shall be comparable with other structures in the neighborhood in which such structure is to be built.
3. For purposes of evaluating compliance with items 1 and 2 above, the “neighborhood” to be considered shall include the following:
a. Structures immediately adjacent to and across from the subject property;
b. Structures on the same street (both sides) as the subject property; and
c. Structures within 500 feet of the subject property.
4. Garage doors, if facing the street, should not be the dominant feature of the structure.
5. Entrances should clearly identify important access points.
6. Entrances should provide an introductory statement for dwelling units in the duplex structure, and should be landscaped with plants complementary to the building’s architecture and style.
7. All elevations of a building’s exterior design should be coordinated with regard to color, materials, architectural form and detailing.
8. Lighting shall be designed to provide illumination at entrances and along walkways to entrances, without creating spillover onto adjacent properties.
9. Landscape plantings and hardscape materials shall be incorporated to clearly define parking areas and minimize the visual impact of front yard parking.
The main differences between these proposed guidelines and existing guidelines are that the proposed guidelines would:
We believe that the proposed changes are reasonable and would help clarify community design objectives with respect to duplex dwellings.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Community Design Commission Recommendation: On August 18, 2004, the Community Design Commission voted 10-0 to recommend that the Council amend the Land Use Management Ordinance and the Design Guidelines for duplex dwellings. Please see Summary of Community Design Commission Action attached to this report.
Planning Board Recommendation: The Planning Board reviewed the proposed changes on March 1, 2005, and voted 9-0 to recommend the changes. Please refer to the attached Summary of Planning Board Action.
Manager’s Preliminary Recommendation: We recommend that the Town Council adopt the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines, relating to the regulation and construction of duplex structures, as proposed by the Community Design Commission.
The Resolution in Attachment 1 would amend the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines.
ATTACHMENTS
The Attachments listed below are attached to Agenda #4a:
(Manager’s Preliminary Recommendation)
A RESOLUTION REGARDING DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR DUPLEX DWELLINGS, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMUNITY DESIGN COMMISSION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby amends the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines document to incorporate the following revised design guidelines associated with construction of a duplex, as defined by the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance, to be administered by the Community Design Commission:
Community Design Commission, Duplex Design Guidelines
6. A
single front door to face street, if practicable;
7. Appearance
to resemble single-family dwelling;
8. Height
of structure comparable to nearby buildings;
9. Garage
doors not facing street, if practicable; and
10. Limit front yard
parking as much as possible.
1. The appearance of a new duplex structure shall be consistent, with respect to building materials, roof forms, and lot siting, to the neighborhood in which such structure is to be built.
2. The size, height, and form of a new duplex structure shall be comparable with other structures in the neighborhood in which such structure is to be built.
3. For purposes of evaluating compliance with items 1 and 2 above, the “neighborhood” to be considered shall include the following:
a. Structures immediately adjacent to and across from the subject property;
b. Structures on the same street (both sides) as the subject property; and
c. Structures within 500 feet of the subject property.
4. Garage doors, if facing the street, should not be the dominant feature of the structure.
5. Entrances should clearly identify important access points.
6. Entrances should provide an introductory statement for dwelling units in the duplex structure, and should be landscaped with plants complementary to the building’s architecture and style.
7. All elevations of a building’s exterior design should be coordinated with regard to color, materials, architectural form and detailing.
8. Lighting shall be designed to provide illumination at entrances and along walkways to entrances, without creating spillover onto adjacent properties.
9. Landscape plantings and hardscape materials shall be incorporated to clearly define parking areas and minimize the visual impact of front yard parking.
This the ____ day of ________, 2005.