TITLE: Title
Request-to-Set a Public Hearing for Consideration of Land Use Ordinance Text Amendments Relating to the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is for the Town Council to consider setting a new public hearing on proposed text amendments to the Land Use Ordinance to establish new zoning districts and associated development requirements for the Historic Rogers Road neighborhood.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon - 919-918-7325, cmoon@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:cmoon@townofcarrboro.org>; Marty Roupe - 919-918-7333, mroupe@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:mroupe@townofcarrboro.org>; Patricia McGuire - 919-918-7327, pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org>; Nick Herman - 919-929-3905, herman@broughlawfirm.com <mailto:herman@broughlawfirm.com>
INFORMATION: On September 22, 2020 the Town Council held a public hearing on proposed text amendments that, if adopted, would establish new mixed-use districts (general and conditional district) for the Historic Rogers Road neighborhood (HR-MU).
(Background information from the public hearing may be found here: <https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4646381&GUID=B03626B2-6CA2-48E3-BAF7-843BEE5E27D3&Options=&Search=>.) Public comment at the meeting focused on implementing the community vision outlined in the Mapping Our Community’s Future report for affordable housing, expanded economic opportunities at a community scale, and addressing increasing concerns relating to stormwater management. (A copy of the Mapping Our Community’s Future report may be found here: <http://www.townofcarrboro.org/DocumentCenter/View/5936/Mapping-Our-Communitys-Future-Report>)
A subsequent agenda item was scheduled for consideration of the draft ordinance on October 6, 2020. (Agenda materials for the October meeting may be found here: <https://carrboro.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=802042&GUID=58D1AABF-A9CC-4C0B-B15F-2F00AA4E8395&Options=&Search=>) Questions and comments from the Town Council discussed during the public hearing are noted in the October 6th abstract.
Comments from a potential purchaser/developer of the some of the lots under consideration for the HR-MU district were received during the 24-hour period after the close of the public hearing as permitted by S.L. 2020-3 (Attachment C). These comments offer insight into some of the considerations of a developer seeking to construct a successful project. Potential limitations relating to the 8-lot district/development requirement were noted along with thoughts about the affordable housing provisions, potential number of dwelling units and viability of nonresidential uses.
Additional comments were also received after the close of the public hearing period (Attachment D). These comments, submitted from adjacent property owners, focus on concerns of stormwater management relating to the potential for more intensive development. Setting a new public hearing provides an opportunity to consider these new comments and, potentially others, as part of the public record.
Staff is preparing a revised draft ordinance to be considered on November 10th that will provide options for alternative language or new language for the some of the provisions. Modifications to the property boundary setbacks under Section 11 have been addressed. The setbacks along the perimeter of the HR-MU district remain 50 feet to match the undisturbed buffer but the setbacks along the internal boundary lines have been changed to 20 feet; the boundary setbacks for the HR-R district is also 20 feet (Attachment B). Other areas of potential modification include:
• Reducing the minimum size for the HR-MU district. It should be noted that the mixed-use concept includes a percentage of residential and nonresidential uses; it may be difficult for projects on smaller acreage to comply with this requirement.
• Limitations on locations for ingress/egress will also affect development opportunities and may require recombinations or the use of easements to provide access to Rogers Road.
• Reexamining the certain dimensional requirements, such as density/minimum lot size
• Revisiting the permit requirements, particularly for residential uses so that requirements are based on density.
• Changing the name of the district to better reflect the focus of community commercial, such as the HR-CC instead of HR-MU.
• Expanding the description of the district to identify more specific examples of the permitted uses so that community members have a better sense of economic opportunities.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: Public hearings involve staff time and public notice costs associated with advisory board and Town Council review.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Town Council consider adopting the resolution (Attachment A) setting a new public hearing for November 10, 2020.