TITLE: Title
Work Session on General Use Zoning Strategy/NSA Implementation
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to provide the Board of Aldermen with an opportunity to discuss a possible new zoning classification as part of the strategy to implement recommendations from the Northern Study Areas Plan Implementation Review Committee (NSAPIRC).
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon - 919-918-7325; Patricia McGuire - 919-918-7327; Mike Brough - 919-929-3905
INFORMATION: In February of 2011, the Town hosted two design workshops facilitated by the Durham Area Designers (DAD) to further explore design elements and potential zoning that might better realize the goals of the Facilitated Small Area Plan for Carrboro's Northern Study Area (NSA Plan) as identified by the NSAPIRC. The Board received a presentation on the findings from the design workshop on February 21, 2012.
Shortly thereafter, the Board received a memo from the Planning Board, dated April 19th, outlining concerns with the B-4 Zoning District (Outlying Concentrated Business). The Planning Board asked the Board of Aldermen to consider modifying the B-4 District to encourage more mixed-used developments with a more transit and/or pedestrian focus to better interface with existing neighborhoods. The Board subsequently discussed modifying the B-4 district to respond to the NSA design workshop concept plans during a follow-up presentation on September 18th (<http://www.townofcarrboro.org/BoA/Agendas/2012/09_18_2012.htm> ) and again as part of a discussion with Omar Zinn, the owner of the design workshop study site on January 29, 2013 (<http://www.townofcarrboro.org/BoA/Agendas/2013/01_29_2013.htm>). Interest in potential modifications to an existing zoning classification came up again a third time, during the November 19, 2013 public hearing for LUO text amendments regarding the M-1 Zoning District when the Board asked for an update of potential changes to the B-4 district.
During its analysis of the three projects: recommendations for zoning changes in the Northern Study Area (NSA), suggested changes to the B-4 district from the Planning Board and requested changes to the M-1 district, staff considered the possibility that one zoning district (existing or new) could meet the needs of all three requests but ultimately determined that single district could not accommodate the distinct qualities of all three situations. With that in mind, staff has moved forward toward developing a possible new mixed-use zoning classification to respond to the NSAPIRC recommendations, the first project in the work plan.
In the accompanying memo (Attachment A) staff provides a brief summary of the item, an analysis of different approaches toward creating a new or modified zoning classification along with sample language for a potential new district based on the existing Office/Residential Mixed Use District (OR-MU).
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact related to the discussion of this item. Costs are associated with public hearings and staff time should the Board wish to pursue text amendments to the Land Use Ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Board of Aldermen discuss the possible new general use zoning strategy outlined in Attachment A and provide direction for potential next steps, which may include the preparation of text amendments to the Land Use Ordinance to establish a new zoning district.