Title
To amend the official zoning map for the purpose of rezoning certain properties along Hull Street between Cowardin Avenue and East 9th Street to conform zoning regulations to the future land use recommended in the Downtown Plan.
Body
O & R Request
DATE: January 18, 2018 EDITION: 1
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Levar M. Stoney, Mayor
(This in no way reflects a recommendation on behalf of the Mayor)
THROUGH: Selena Cuffee-Glenn, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Peter L. Downey, Jr., Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic
Development and Planning
FROM: Mark A. Olinger, Director, Department of Planning and Development Review
RE: Request to amend the official zoning map for the purpose of rezoning certain properties along Hull Street between Cowardin Avenue and E. 9th Street to match the future land use in the Downtown Plan.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To amend the official zoning map for the purpose of rezoning certain properties along Hull Street between Cowardin Avenue and E. 9th Street to match the future land use in the Downtown Plan.
REASON: This would revise the City’s official zoning map for the purpose of rezoning certain properties along Hull Street between Cowardin Avenue and E. 9th Street. This re-mapping would better match the future land use described in the Downtown Plan, and would encourage the continued revitalization of Hull Street.
RECOMMENDATION: In accordance with the requirements of the City Charter and the Zoning Ordinance, the City Planning Commission will review this request and make a recommendation to City Council. This item will be scheduled for consideration by the Commission at its March 5, 2018, meeting. A letter outlining the Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council following that meeting.
BACKGROUND:
This re-mapping would encourage the continued revitalization of the historic Hull Street commercial corridor by allowing more height, requiring less parking, and removing surface parking as a permitted principal use.
Master Plan
The Downtown Plan, originally adopted in 2008, designates the historic Hull Street corridor as “Downtown Urban Center Area,” which is characterized by, “higher density, mixed-use development, typically arranged on a fine-grained street network, with wide sidewalks, regular tree planting, and minimal setbacks. The apartment buildings along The Boulevard are an example of a residential urban center condition in Richmond, with a dense urban fabric of three to five story buildings, and limited retail at key intersections” (3.25).
The Downtown Plan states to, “Encourage mixed commerce so that residents at all income levels can fulfill their daily needs within reasonable proximity of their home” (3.36). The Plan addresses Hull Street specifically by stating that, “It is important that Hull Street be revitalized to its original status as a bustling commercial center in Manchester” (4.35).
Existing and Proposed Zoning
The entirety of the proposed area for rezoning is currently in the UB-2 Urban Business district with a parking exempt (PE-1) overlay. This zoning district allows for a variety of pedestrian-oriented commercial uses, as well as multi-family residential. Building height is a maximum of three stories (four stories are allowed under certain conditions), and a minimum of two stories. There are form-based requirements for parking decks, fenestration requirements, and limits on the location of driveways and parking areas. Dwelling uses are not allowed on the ground floor fronting principal street frontages, but rather other permitted principal uses must be located there to encourage activity at the street level. The parking exempt overlay applies to uses in existing buildings, requiring parking only for theaters & clubs, nightclubs, restaurants, food stores, and dwelling units.
The B-5 Central Business district is proposed for this section of Hull Street which is currently zoned UB-2. The exception is a single-family property located at 1709 Decatur Street, which is currently zoned UB-2 and is proposed to be rezoned to R-7 Single-and Two-Family Urban Residential and incorporated into that larger district to the south and east.
The B-5 Central Business district, inclusive of the proposed text amendments, allows for a variety of commercial uses, as well as multi-family residential. Parking lots and areas are a principal permitted use by conditional use permit only, but can be accessory to other permitted uses. Building height is a maximum of five stories and a minimum of two stories. There are form-based requirements for parking decks, fenestration requirements, and limits on the location of driveways and parking areas. No parking is required for commercial uses other than hotels, and dwelling units do not require parking for buildings with fewer than 16 units, while buildings with more than 16 dwelling units require one space per four units which are in excess of 16 units. The B-5 Central Business district also includes provisions for street-oriented commercial designation, and inclusive of the proposed text amendments, priority street designation.
Street-oriented commercial and priority street designations are proposed to be designated along Hull Street between Cowardin Avenue and E. 9th Street. Similar to the requirement already existing in the UB-2 Urban Business district, the street-oriented commercial designation would require that a minimum of one-third, or 1,000 square feet, of the floor area of the ground floor of buildings to have principal uses other than dwelling units of a depth not less than 20 feet. The priority street designation would apply the form-based requirements of principal street frontages when a building has multiple street frontages, and includes fenestration requirements, parking being located behind buildings, and limits to driveways across such streets when other access is available.
A series of maps showing the master plan future land use, existing zoning, the proposed zoning following this map change, and a chart detailing the characteristics of the existing and proposed zoning district is attached to this report.
Public Engagement
An initial public meeting was held on August 31, 2017, to discuss the proposed remapping and accompanying text amendments. All property owners were mailed an invitation to the meeting. Approximately ten participants attended this meeting.
A second public meeting was held in conjunction with Councilwoman Ellen Robertson on November 14, 2017. Multiple sets of invitations were sent out in order to increase turnout, which included mailing property owners, business owners, and all physical addresses in the remapping area. Approximately 25 participants attended this second meeting and were mostly in support of the proposed remapping and accompanying text amendments.
FISCAL IMPACT / COST: The Department of Planning and Development Review anticipates that impact to the City’s budget will be positive. Rezoning this section of Hull Street to the B-5 Central Business district should increase economic activity and assessed values.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: The Department Planning and Development Review does not anticipate any fiscal implications from this proposal.
BUDGET AMENDMENT NECESSARY: No
REVENUE TO CITY: None
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: February 12, 2018
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: March 12, 2018
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: None
CONSIDERATION BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES: City Planning Commission, March 5, 2018
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Law Department (for review of draft ordinance)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: Companion to request to amend the B-5 Central Business zoning district.
REQUIRED CHANGES TO WORK PROGRAM(S): None
ATTACHMENTS: Draft Ordinance, Map of Master Plan Future Land Use, Map of Existing Zoning, Map of Proposed Zoning, Chart of Zoning Districts
STAFF: William Palmquist, Senior Planner (Room 510), 646-6307
Recommended Action
Key Issues:
Retain on Consent Agenda
Move to Regular Agenda
Refer Back to Committee
Remove from Council Agenda
Strike Withdrawn ---- Continue to: