AGENDA #11b

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:      Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines -- Changes to Duplex Provisions

 

DATE:                        May 9, 2005

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Adoption of the attached Resolution would change 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.

 

April 18, 2005       The Council held a Public Hearing to consider changes to the Comprehensive Plan Design Guidelines duplex provisions.

 

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 place 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:

 

·         Include more emphasis on fitting designs into existing neighborhood context;

·         Include more emphasis on lighting;

·         Include more emphasis on landscaping;

·         Eliminate requirements that a duplex resemble a single-family house; and

·         Eliminate references to front-yard parking (already addressed in Ordinance).

 

We believe that the proposed changes are reasonable and would help clarify community design objectives with respect to duplex dwellings.  No issues were raised at the April 18 Public Hearing.

 

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 refer to the 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 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.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      April 18, 2005 Memorandum with related attachments (begin new page 1)


RESOLUTION

(Manager’s Recommendation)

 

A RESOLUTION REGARDING DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR DUPLEX DWELLINGS, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMUNITY DESIGN COMMISSION (2005-05-09/R-16)

 

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 9th day of May, 2005.