SUBJECT: GENERAL BUSINESS
Title
Unified Development Code (UDC) Update Report
Body
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development
PRESENTER: Fred Starr, Planning & Development Director
TIME ESTIMATE: 90 minutes
only required for non-consent items
FISCAL SUMMARY: N/A
Cost as Recommended:
Balance Available:
Budget Line Item Number:
New Appropriation Required:
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Discussion only at this time. During this study session staff will introduce drafts of proposed amendments to three major sections of the UDC. Staff asks for Board comments on the draft amendments to the Development and Design Standards for Single Family Detached Dwelling Units, new Commercial, Industrial and Mixed-use Design Standards, and Parks, Open Space and Trails revisions. Based on this discussion we develop a timeline for bringing proposed amendments to applicable UDC sections to the Planning Commission and Board of Trustees for consideration and adoption. Staff will also provide an update on the SOLVE process we are using to identify process improvements to minimize the time it takes an application to go through the review and approval process, to make the requirements and steps in that process more clear up front, and to make the process more predictable.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Unified Development Code (UDC) update team has been working to develop proposed amendments to the UDC to resolve questions and incorporate suggestions for improvements from the Board of Trustees, Planning Commission, the development community and Town staff. The proposed amendments and process improvements staff will review during the Study Session generally cover UDC Chapters 6 (Development and Design Standards) and 7 (Review and Approval Procedures), but will also replace similar provisions that are currently listed through-out various sections of the UDC. The specific focus of these changes is on:
• Standards for Single Family Detached Dwelling Units
• Standards for Commercial, Industrial and Multi-Family/Mixed-use
• Requirements for Parks, Open Space and Trails
• Review and Approval Procedures
The proposed changes in Regulations/Requirements are intended to deliver the type and quality of development the Town expects while providing applicants flexibility to innovate. The proposed changes in Process are intended to minimize the time it takes an application to go through the review and approval process, to make the requirements and steps in that process more clear up front, and to make the process more predictable.
Staff has been working with the Planning Commission, Board of Trustees, the and development community, Metropolitan Homebuilders Association (HBA), and other Town departments to solicit comments and suggestions for revisions to the UDC. To help with this process, we contracted with Martin Landers, the principal of Plan Tools, LLC to help incorporate these changes and re-format the UDC into a more usable form. Mr. Landers has expertise in Development Regulations, Comprehensive Planning and preparing Special Studies.
The new Multi-family, Commercial and Industrial Design Standards will replace various sections in the current UDC with a single document that will be cited as a reference in the UDC, much as other technical standards are now referenced. This new format is intended to address the Board’s desire for a higher level of design standards than is currently provided for in the UDC. These new requirements are based on influences from the Erie Town Center PD as well as other commonly accepted principals of urban design.
Staff has also engaged Government Performance Solutions (GPS) to assist staff in identifying and developing process improvements. GPS is helping staff implement a 5-step SOLVE process that staff will explain during the study session and highlight some of the actions we are taking to improve the development review process. Once we have completed the SOLVE process, staff will proposed additional amendments to the UDC Chapter 7 to specifically address the “review time” questions.
In this respect, one section of the UDC identified as a source of delay in the review time for land subdivisions, is the Sketch Plan requirement. Currently the UDC identifies a “Sketch Plan” as a staff level only review, intended to provide general feedback on a proposed land subdivision. In practice, Sketch Plans has been taken to the Board of Trustees where no formal action or recommendation is made, but comments offered. This has resulted in applicants preparing plans that are of a level of detail not anticipated by the “Sketch Plan” criteria, which in turn requires staff to review the plans to assure that what is being proposed does in fact generally meet all code provisions.
To be able to determine what additional updates will be needed to Chapter 7: Review and Approval Procedures, we need to understand if the Board of Trustees still want to see the “Sketch Plan”, and if so, at what level of detail, so staff can determine how to process, review and comment on a Sketch Plan. Staff would recommend keeping a sketch plan as a Staff Only review process.
We are also proposing to eliminate the PUD Planned Unit Development process as currently referenced in the UDC. The PUD has been used to make minor “adjustments” to the underlying based Zoning district requirements. We will be making recommendations for changes to the UDC that reflect the most commonly requested and approved PUD modifications, which typically deal with setbacks and other factors, so the underlying zoning accommodates the kind of development the Board wants to see without the need for a PUD.
Finally, staff recommends keeping and encouraging the use of the PD-Planned Development Zoning as a tool to create unique development areas, each with its own set of land-uses, dimensional standards and design criteria. This provision is currently within the UDC and was used to create the Erie Town Center PD.
Next Steps:
Since we are presenting a great deal of detailed information, we don’t expect detailed comments and recommendations during the study session, but staff does want to know if the Board believes the focus on these specific sections of the UDC is what the Board expects, or if the Board has any significant concerns about the proposed changes. After reviewing the information presented and discussed during the Study Session, if Board Members have proposed changes to staff’s recommendations, we would appreciate receiving comments by August 18th. After that date, we will make final edits to these sections of the UDC and send that information to the groups that have been part of our review process for their information.
We propose bringing the UDC updates to the Planning Commission and Board of Trustees for consideration and adoption in sections rather than as one document. This will allow certain code sections to be updated first such as; Parks, Open Space and Trails, the proposed design regulations, plus other minor updates as part of that first phase. The second phase of updates will address any needed code revisions resulting from the SLOVE process, the Sign Code provisions, any changes to the Oil and Gas regulations and the remaining code sections.
All proposed UDC amendments will be reviewed by the Town Attorney. We will also continue to use our outside professionals to help with cross-referencing, editing, reformatting and proposing language for any addition UDC updates.
UDC updates will be adopted by Ordinance and therefore require Public Notice and Public Hearings. To provide for final drafting, review by the HBA and developers and then meeting the required public notice requirements for both the Planning Commission and Board of Trustees, we anticipate consideration and adoption of the Phase I changes by the Board of Trustees at the last meeting in October.
Board Priority(s) Addressed:
þ Attractive Community Amenities
þ Engaged and Diverse Community
þ Prosperous Economy
þ Small Town Feel
þ Safe and Healthy Community
þ Environmentally Sustainable
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Presentation: UDC Chapter 6: Development and Design Standards for Single Family Detached Dwelling Units
2. Presentation: Development Design Standards for Commercial, Industrial and Mixed-use
3. Presentation: UDC Changes Pertaining to Parks and Open Space
4. Presentation: Development Processes SOLVE Project
5. Draft Development Design Standards
6. Draft Parks, Open Space and Trails revisions