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TA21-03_MixedUseDistrict_Summaries2021-08 Public Comment Draft 2021 HEIGHT STANDARDS AMENDMENT CONCEPTS URBAN MIXED USE ZONING (UMXZ) DISTRICT CONCEPT SUMMARY: Allow Master Development Plans approved in conjunction with Urban Mixed Use Zoning (UMXZ) rezoning requests determine height maximums. DISTRICT INTENT: To meet the following objectives in the areas of New Hanover County in proximity to the City of Wilmington and those intended for urban or community scale mixed use development: • To encourage the efficient mixed use development pattern envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan; • To result in quality design and a variety of built forms of lasting value that result in a pedestrian scale; • To provide a mix of housing options; • To promote and enhance transportation options, particularly those that are pedestrian-oriented, while reducing demand for automobile trips; and • To encourage a mix of uses to foster a sense of community. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GUIDANCE: While the plan does not directly relate place types with specific zoning districts, this district could be appropriate for the full spectrum of place types, including the highest intensity Urban Mixed Use and Employment Center areas, which both anticipate heights of up to 7 stories. DRAFT TEXT AMENDMENT CONCEPT Current Standards Proposed Standards Height Maximum Additional Height Allowances Setbacks Height Maximum Additional Height Allowances Setbacks Along arterial streets: 4 stories or 45 ft. Along residential & collector streets: 2 stories or 35 ft. Along arterial streets: 75 ft. with Special Use Permit Along arterial & collector streets: 5 stories or 55 ft. if structure parking is provided within project 35 ft. for buildings ≤ 35 ft. in height 45 ft. for buildings > 35 ft. in height Established in MDP Master Development Plan N/A 35 ft. for buildings ≤ 35 ft. in height 45 ft. for buildings > 35 ft. in height Considerations: • This provision would not apply to existing approved UMXZ developments, as they are governed by the master development plans approved at the time of their rezoning. • This district allows a wide variety of residential, commercial, and office uses. • The current height maximum in the district only allows buildings of 5 stories or 55 ft. along major roadways if structured parking is required. Otherwise, the maximum height allowed without a special use permit is 4 stories or 45 ft. • 5-story nonresidential building currently require about 75 ft. • 7-story nonresidential buildings currently require about 100 ft. in height. • The current height allowances are applied only to properties located in particular Comprehensive Plan Place Types and along particular roadways. However, place types were not developed to be property specific, which could cause difficulties in determining the application of the additional height allowance for some properties, and the General Statutes indicate that all parcels within a particular zoning district should have the same dimensional standards. Example of a Master Development Plan approved as part of a UMXZ rezoning. 2021-08 Public Comment Draft 2021 HEIGHT STANDARDS AMENDMENT CONCEPTS PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (PD) DISTRICT CONCEPT SUMMARY: Allow Master Development Plans approved in conjunction with Planned Development (PD) rezoning requests determine height maximums. DISTRICT INTENT: To encourage innovative, integrated, and efficient land planning and site design concepts that achieve a high quality of development, environmental sensitivity, and adequate public facilities and services, and that provide community benefits, by: • Reducing the inflexibility of zoning district standards that sometimes result from strict application of the base district, and development standards; • Allowing greater flexibility in selecting the form and design of development, the ways by which pedestrians and traffic circulate, how the development is located and designed to respect the natural features of the land and protect the environment, the location, and integration of open space and civic space into the development, and design amenities; • Encouraging a greater mix of land uses within the same development; • Allowing more efficient use of land, with smaller networks of streets and utilities; • Providing pedestrian connections within the site and to the public right-of-way; and • Promoting development forms and patterns that respect the character of established surrounding neighborhoods and other types of land uses. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GUIDANCE: While the plan does not directly relate place types with specific zoning districts, this district could be appropriate for the full spectrum of place types, including the highest intensity Urban Mixed Use and Employment Center areas, which both anticipate heights of up to 7 stories. DRAFT TEXT AMENDMENT CONCEPT Current Standards Proposed Standards Height Maximum Additional Height Allowances Height Maximum Additional Height Allowances Allowance Maximum Additional Standards Allowance Maximum Additional Standards 40 ft. There is no maximum building height for Agricultural or Industrial uses. The maximum building height is 80 ft. for buildings located within the Urban Mixed Use, Community Mixed Use, or Employment Center areas identified on the New Hanover County Future Land Use Map and fronting along a collector, minor arterial, or principal arterial as indicated on the Wilmington Urban Area MPO functional classification map. None Established in MDP Master Development Plan N/A N/A Example of a Master Development Plan approved as part of a Planned Development rezoning. Considerations: • This provision would likely not apply to existing approved planned developments, as they are governed by the master development plans approved at the time of their rezoning. • This district allows a wide variety of residential, commercial, office, and industrial uses. • The current height maximum in the district, without the additional allowance outlined, would limit buildings to no more than 2 stories. This would limit height to less than currently allowed in our general Residential (RA, R-20, R-15, etc.) for single family homes. • The current height allowance in the district only allows up to about 5 stories even in the highest intensity place types outlined in the Comprehensive Plan. • 7-story nonresidential buildings currently require about 100 ft. in height. • The current height allowances are applied only to properties located in particular Comprehensive Plan Place Types and along particular roadways. However, place types were not developed to be property specific, which could cause difficulties in determining the application of the additional height allowance for some properties, and the General Statutes indicate that all parcels within a particular zoning district should have the same dimensional standards. • Minimum setbacks are outlined for the district, but any proposed Master Development Plan could include larger setbacks, design elements, or vegetative buffers depending on the context of the property proposed for rezoning.