Title
To rezone the property known as 127 North 17th Street from the M-1 Light Industrial District to the TOD-1 Transit-Oriented Nodal District.
Body
O & R Request
DATE: March 26, 2018 EDITION:1
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Levar M. Stoney, Mayor
(This is no way reflects a recommendation on behalf of the Mayor.)
THROUGH: Selena Cuffee-Glenn, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Peter L. Downey, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development and Planning
FROM: Mark A. Olinger, Director, Department of Planning and Development Review
RE: To rezone the property known as 127 North 17th Street from the M-1 Light Industrial District to the TOD-1 Transit-Oriented Nodal District.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To rezone the property known as 127 North 17th Street from the M-1 Light Industrial District to the TOD-1 Transit-Oriented Nodal District.
REASON: The applicant is requesting to rezone the property at the corner of North 17th Street and East Grace Street from the existing industrial zoning regulations in the M-1 Light Industrial District to the TOD-1 Transit-Oriented Nodal District to develop a hotel on the property that is consistent with the form based regulations found in the City’s new TOD-1 district.
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 May 21, 2018, meeting. A letter outlining the Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council following that meeting.
BACKGROUND: The property is approximately 0.62 acres and is currently improved with a vacant industrial building and a surface parking area. The buildings have most recently been used as a bakery facility operated by the Weiman’s Bakery Company. The property is located in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood and is primarily surrounded by surface parking areas, with a mix of commercial, mixed-use, industrial, office, vacant, and multi-family residential land uses in the general area. Surrounding properties are located within the M-1 Light Industrial District and B-5 Central Business District.
The subject property is currently located in M-1 Light Industrial District, which permits a wide variety of commercial, industrial and service uses. The proposed TOD-1 district regulations would allow for a mix of uses. The applicant wishes to construct new hotel on the property that would comply with the TOD-1 zoning district regulations.
The intent of the TOD-1 district is to encourage dense, walkable transit-oriented development consistent with the objectives of the master plan and to promote enhancement of the character of this development along principal corridors, at key gateways, and at nodes of high activity located near transit service, bicycle infrastructure, and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes. The district regulations are also intended to safeguard the character of adjoining properties by only being applied in areas that meet the criteria above, with buffering by setbacks and screening or transitional districts to lower intensity residential areas.
The district regulations are intended to encourage redevelopment and place-making, including adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings, to create a high-quality urban realm. They are intended to improve streetscape character by providing continuity of building setbacks, to enhance public safety by encouraging an active pedestrian environment consistent with the mixed-use character of the district by providing for windows in building facades along street frontages, and to promote an environment that is safe for walking and biking.
The TOD-1 district allows for a maximum of twelve stories and includes form-based requirements that are not found in the existing zoning district. These requirements include such things as regulation on the location and screening of parking, fenestration and setback maximums.
In addition to the normal zoning requirements, any development of the site as a hotel will require a plan of development be approved by the Director of Planning and Development Review to ensure compatibility with the district and the Pulse Corridor Plan.
The City’s Pulse Corridor Plan recommends Neighborhood Mixed-Use land use for the subject property. Neighborhood Mixed-use areas are cohesive districts that provide a mix of uses, but with a larger amount of residential uses than other mixed-use districts. They are an urban, walkable environment with limited neighborhood-oriented uses incorporated along key commercial corridors and at corner sites (p. 31).
The subject property is located within the Main Street Station Area. According to the Pulse Corridor Plan, Nodal Mixed-Uses near Main Street Station allow for intense development with active ground-floor uses near the multi-modal heart of the Richmond Region. The Corridor Mixed-Uses along E. Broad and E. Main Streets encourage the redevelopment of surface parking lots and underutilized buildings into higher-density buildings that focus on creating walkable environments with active ground floors, appropriate streetscape, and minimal driveway entrances. Neighborhood Mixed-Uses in the surrounding area help maintain the existing residential and mixed uses found in the area, mainly in the form of repurposed warehouses, and allow for appropriate infill development (p. 104).
FISCAL IMPACT / COST: The Department of Planning and Development Review does not anticipate any impact to the City’s budget for this or future fiscal years.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Staff time for processing the request; preparation of draft ordinance; and publishing, mailing and posting of public notices.
BUDGET AMENDMENT NECESSARY: No.
REVENUE TO CITY: $1,500 application fee.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon Adoption.
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: April 23, 2018
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: May 29, 2018
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: None.
CONSIDERATION BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES: City Planning Commission, May 21, 2018.
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Law Department (for review of draft ordinance)
City Assessor (for preparation of mailing labels for public notice)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None.
REQUIRED CHANGES TO WORK PROGRAM(S): None.
ATTACHMENTS: Application Form, Applicant’s Report, Draft Ordinance, Survey, Map
STAFF: Jonathan Brown, Senior Planner
Land Use Administration (Room 511) 646-5734
PDR O&R No. 18-20
Recommended Action
Key Issues:
Retain on Consent Agenda
Move to Regular Agenda
Refer Back to Committee
Remove from Council Agenda
Strike Withdrawn ---- Continue to: