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Neighbors want a lot of say about what is built in their community

10/22/2009 | 

ZCC Public Outreach Session 

The first of four community meetings about draft recommendations for the new zoning code was held Thursday evening at University Square. The crowd of about 80 participants was divided into eight groups to review the key changes proposed for the code. Every group ranked protecting neighborhoods and facilitating public involvement as the top two issues for discussion. “We want more input, not less,” they said.

Participants expressed concern that some of the changes would impede public input or interfere with established processes in areas where there is a long history of community involvement. When asked to help the ZCC define what kinds of development applications should require a neighborhood meeting, they said “most.” Although some groups agreed that minor proposals for fences or decks, for example, or applications that are fully compliant with zoning do not warrant a public meeting or hearing, the general consensus was that developers would benefit from meeting with the neighbors first. “Save money and ask us,” was the motto of one group.

Most participants were not comfortable with the recommendation that developers should be responsible for coordinating neighborhood meetings and recording results. They want PCPC or another public entity to serve as liaison, so that even residents in areas where there is no organized group can be heard. Community organizations, they said, do not always represent all of the people in a neighborhood and developers sometimes cater to certain groups to get approvals. 

ZCC recommendations to improve public notice requirements generated much discussion. Again, many participants do not want the developer to be responsible for public notice. Suggestions included a web-based notification system, postcard mailings to all neighbors, required signatures, more time, and more details. “Notices should be posted at least 12 days in advance and specify exactly what is proposed,” they said, “so that we can be prepared for the meeting.”

Participants want new neighborhood design standards to limit how different a new development can be from what is already there, especially in terms of height restrictions. The would like to see buffers between residential and nonresidential uses, limitations on the types of use permitted, noise regulations, traffic calming measures, green space, and more parking controls. Parking was a big topic, including concerns over a lack of parking, poor lighting, lots that exit onto residential streets, landscaping needs, and private parking that takes away street spaces.

Reaction to recommendations for transit-oriented development (TOD) was mixed. Some participants didn’t see how it related to the idea of protecting neighborhoods and thought it could add pressure to a community. Others liked the idea of directing density to commercial corridors and transit hubs, but were concerned about the compatibility of uses and the impact on traffic and parking. “A lot of funding is available for transit-related projects,” one group cautioned, “and development can make or break a neighborhood.”

Click here  to see the schedule of public meetings and go to www.zoningmatters.org to take a survey on the recommendations.

Zoning Watch 2009 Archives

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