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Full draft code is released; comments due by October 12.

09/08/2010 | 

ZCC Regular Session 

zcc_982010Zoning commission members received a 438-page draft of the new zoning code, described as “lean and mean” by consultant Don Elliott. “It’s about half as long as Denver’s new code,” he said. The release marks the first time the three draft modules have been fully integrated into a single document. All written comments are due by October 12, so that a final draft is ready for a vote at the November 10 meeting of the ZCC and the preliminary report of recommendations for the city’s zoning code can then be submitted to City Council. Although there are still details to hash out over the next 2 months, ZCC chair Alan Greenberger believes the code will get passed by Council next spring. “It’s not perfect,” he said, “but we got it largely right.”

Mr. Elliott highlighted the following substantive changes to the text and encouraged each member to read the full draft carefully. The consultants want feedback on parts of the code that are new or still evolving.

  • A new commercial mixed-use base district CMX-2.5, intended to reduce the number of neighborhood commercial special districts.
  • Proposed sky plane form controls that replace current bulk plane restrictions and increase design flexibility.
  • Specific standards for controversial uses, such as communication antennas, junk/salvage yards, roof decks, and satellite dishes.
  • Changes to dimensional standards in rowhome districts.
  • FAR bonuses, which are currently being tested for economic viability.
  • Evolving form and design controls that are intended to be objective standards applied by L&I in routine reviews. Compliance to these standards is mandatory.
  • Proposed TOD standards that replace the concept of an overlay district. TOD areas will be mapped by the Planning Commission, not City Council, and proposed projects will be approved by L&I.

 

Comments on the presentation focused on how user-friendly the new code will be, testing how it will be applied, ensuring L&I has capacity and training, and improving customer service and access to information.

The ZCC’s Work Plan Committee will create an agenda of critical issues to be discussed at the next two scheduled meetings – October 6 and October 27. The Civic Engagement Committee, now led by Commissioner Stella Tsai, is organizing 10 neighborhood “open houses” for late September and early October and an online survey to allow the public to comment on how the new code is structured. The committee is also working with Sage Communications with a grant from the William Penn Foundation to develop a strategy for introducing the final draft to the public and building support for its approval.

Chairman Alan Greenberger reminded ZCC members that they are now going to be defenders of the work that has been done over the past three years. He emphasized that much of what City Council gets asked to fix with zoning are behavior and enforcement problems, which a new code cannot address. Mr. Greenberger wants members to stand by the decisions that they made. “The document is worthy of being defended – we worked hard and tried to be reasonable,” he said. “I think it’s going to pass City Council.”

View Don Elliott’s consolidated draft presentation.
To view the Consolidated Draft Code, visit http://www.zoningmatters.org/files/Draft%20Consolidated%20Code%20(Sep%208%202010)_0.pdf.

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