Planning Commission Regular Meeting/Work Session

James Featherthe public on any matter not calling for a public hearing. We have one public hearing this evening related to some zoning text amendments, but otherwise just a work session and one order of business requiring no public hearing. Is there anybody who signed up ahead of time to speak? no no one okay anybody in the room who would like to address the planning commission at this time related to a matter other than what we have a public hearing on this evening if

NaptystaffOn September 14th, the Planning Commission initiated potential zoning text amendments to support our adoptive smaller plans. And that includes a recommendation to establish a new activity center district. Among other things, this could potentially accommodate those types of developments that would establish new lots on private streets. And so in association with that, we have scheduled that public hearing for October 26th. If those amendments are approved, we would also recommend that the Planning Commission consider amendments to the subdivision ordinance to allow new lots to apply on private streets in the new activity center districts. This would be in addition to the planned development districts where they're already allowed.

ForemanstaffThere we go. Okay. Well, thank you very much, Chair Feather. This agenda item is a public hearing. It's for a series of zoning text amendments. And if you all recall, the Planning Commission held a work session last month to discuss these topics. And these amendments cover a variety of subjects. The topics themselves aren't related to each other. They're items that staff has identified as things that may warrant zoning text amendments, and some of these items have been identified due to legislative changes and others just trying to resolve inconsistencies within the zoning ordinance text or items that just warrant additional clarification. The City Council held an equivalent work session to review these amendments also in September.

affordability guidelines, this slide shows the major dimensional mandates in this bill. So projects that are built, again, according to this bill, they can be up to 45 feet tall. There may be as little as 10 feet of setback between any building that's constructed and Localities must allow projects up to at least 20 dwelling units per acre or at most 20 dwelling units per acre. Localities cannot require more than one parking space to be provided per residential unit. Now, the way the state legislation is written, localities must allow development that meets these standards and must allow it regardless of any local standards, regardless of any property zoning. So that's the reason for the zoning text amendments we're discussing tonight because we need

This definition itself references state code directly, and we had talked about this at the work session, says that this use is a site constructed to accommodate the provisions specified in the Code of Virginia, gives the section number as amended pertaining to affordable housing on certain properties owned by tax-exempt organizations. And again, this and the other amendments give the city flexibility in case the state modifies the legislation. We don't have to come back. Since this relates directly to the legislation, to the state code, we wouldn't have to come back and make additional zoning text amendments if the state code changes. The amendments also add a use description and dimensional standards to Section 351 of the ordinance,

Naptystaffthank you mr chair and members of the planning commission A quick recap of the past couple of city council meetings. On September 22nd, they had a public hearing on the proposal for the highlands at Mantua development that was ultimately approved. This was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on July 27. They also had a work session on the Texas amendments that you had a public hearing on tonight. And then they see October 6th, they had a work session on the smaller plan related zoning text amendments. This is similar to the work session that the Planning Commission had on September 14th. The comments that the Planning Commission provided to staff were shared with the City Council during that discussion.

for upcoming planning commission meetings October 26 we will have three public hearings as currently scheduled one for the courthouse plaza redevelopment proposal one for the proposal at gallery at city center and then one for the smaller plan zoning text amendments following that we will be focusing on the capital improvement program throughout the rest of the year with a couple of other potential city related items. And that's all we have. I just wanted to welcome Commissioner Drummond and say thank you for joining us. That's all we have for the staff report tonight.