Title
Approval of an Ordinance to create the Unified Development Code and Map. (Second Reading)
(This item was deferred at the February 10, 2014 Mayor and Council Meeting)
Presented by Bradford D. Townsend, Planning and Zoning Director
Body
Item Summary:
The Unified Development Code (UDC) and map is a complete rewrite of the existing zoning ordinance and a change to the zoning map. During the development of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan one re-occurring theme was the overly burdensome, confusing and sometimes prohibitive Zoning Ordinance. As a result, one of the action items identified to keep the City moving forward toward its 20-year vision of the Comprehensive Plan was to update the Zoning Ordinance. While the City's Zoning Ordinance has been continually updated, many of the standards within the ordinance are dated and the updates over the years have resulted in an overly complicated and confusing set of regulations.
The UDC map corresponds with the districts in the UDC text. The biggest change to the map is the removal of the FC-A classification and establishing a zoning district for all of these properties that closely matches the property zoning allowed in Fulton County. The E-1, E-2, R-1 and R-2 residential zoning classifications dimensional requirements are staying the same, but are being renamed to RS-87, RS-30, RS-18 and RS-12 so as to represent the minimum lot size within each category. An AG-43 zoning category is being added to represent existing agriculturally used property within Roswell. Several mixed use designations such as RX- Residential Mixed Use, NX- Neighborhood Mixed Use, CX- Commercial Mixed Use and DX- Downtown Mixed Use have been added to coincide with the Comprehensive Plan policies to foster redevelopment in the corridors and nodes districts and the downtown districts to match the character areas identified in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
Several overlay districts in the current zoning ordinance and map are being removed and being replaced with individual mixed use districts - RX- Residential Mixed Use, NX- Neighborhood Mixed Use, CX- Commercial Mixed Use and DX- Downtown Mixed Use. All current multi-family properties have been classified with a proposed compatible UDC designation. The areas on the proposed UDC map that allow for properties to be developed over three stories in height are ones that currently allow for that or represent existing structures of that height. The industrial area and Alpharetta Highway/Holcomb Bridge Road area have been proposed to remain at the existing allowed height.
Changes approved at first reading include but are not limited to:
· Building coverage for Cottage Court developments to 60%
· The requirement for small lot developments of 10 or more units to provide common open space
· Detention ponds be located outside any required buffer
· Revised the variance requirement criteria
*****************************************************************
Changes made at the second reading include but are not limited to:
· Map Changes
· Addition of the Use and Enforcement of Design Guidelines
· Infrastructure Sustainability language
· Changes to the Intent Statements for RS-6, RS-4, and R-CC
· New landscape buffer matrix
· Additional items added to Appendix A
There are additional proposed changes that have been discussed at subsequent Mayor and Council Work Sessions and include administrative corrections such as spelling, grammar and formatting:
- Buffer requirements and districts that will allow Carriage House and accessory apartment development.
Committee or Staff Recommendation:
On February 10, 2014, Mayor and Council deferred this item to the February 24, 2014 Mayor and Council Agenda.
On January 27, 2014 Mayor and Council approved the first reading of the proposed map.
On January 13, 2014, Mayor and Council approved the first reading of the text.
Financial Impact:
N/A
Presented by:
Bradford D. Townsend, Planning & Zoning Director