Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future
The Zoning Revisions Committee (ZRC) Who We Are – A volunteer committee, appointed by the Planning Board – Formed to help implement “Sustainable Northampton” (the city’s comprehensive master plan adopted in 2008) – Selected to represent a variety of viewpoints, expertise and neighborhoods
Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future Our Charge: Get Sustainability into Zoning – Review current zoning & recommend revisions – Be a technical resource for the Planning Board – Provide a wide range of opportunities for public input to the zoning revision process
Infill is a Key Issue Infill Rose to the Surface as a Critical Issue for Sustainability Infill is new construction or redevelopment that 'fills in' empty lots or adds units or uses in areas that are already developed Infill is an important tool for concentrating development in walkable neighborhoods, rather than sprawling into undeveloped areas Infill is the historic pattern of development in Northampton Parking Lots
Flavors of Infill – Adding Units Within Existing Homes BEFORE: 2-UNITS AFTER: 3-UNITS House 030.jpg ATTIC CONVERSION = “INVISIBLE INFILL”
Flavors of Infill – Converting Outbuildings to New Units CARRIAGE HOUSE CONVERSION, BUTLER PLACE
Flavors of Infill – Converting Garages to New Units BEFORE AFTER
Flavors of Infill – Building Additions BRIDGE STREET & POMEROY TERRACE
Flavors of Infill – Filling Gaps in the Street ? ? How should this gap in Walnut Street be filled?
Infill and Sustainability Environment – Reduces the need for new infrastructure, and reduces driving – Can be more energy efficient and lower carbon emissions – Is less damaging to natural systems than “greenfield” development Economy – Increases walking to businesses, supporting more commercial real estate and local jobs – Makes public transit more viable Equity – Provides a wide range of housing types and work spaces that meet peoples’ needs To Meet the Goals of Sustainable Northampton: – Traditional neighborhoods, village, and mixed-use commercial centers will need to accommodate additional units (infill) – But, it must be designed in a way that respects its surroundings and creates a "sense of place"
Forum #1: What We Learned General support for infill and mixed-use development in commercial and residential districts, especially in existing neighborhoods within walking distance to businesses and green spaces, because infill… Makes the city more sustainable Encourages economic development Provides affordable units for renters and income for owners Makes neighborhoods more walkable Support for infill as long as it is compatible with neighborhoods, including: Scale Design Traffic
Forum #2: Why We’re Here After Forum #1: We considered how to create more flexible regulations that… - Allow for a greater mix of uses - Allow some new residential units and new options like cottage housing - Ensure that this happens in a way that is compatible with our neighborhoods We Need Community Feedback On: - Topic #1: Home Business Proposed approach to regulate home occupations in a simple, flexible way that ensures that business uses will be compatible with residential neighborhoods - Topic #2: Dimensional Standards for Infill Possible approaches to allowing for a greater variety of residential developments - Topic #3: Residential Design Standards Design standards we should have for residential development, and what types of projects they should apply to
Simplify Home Business Permitting What We Heard About Mixed-Uses (Forum #1) - Should be allowed in commercial and residential areas… - Provided that it is in scale and compatible with surrounding uses What We Did - Worked on zoning to allow more uses in commercial districts - Now working on more mixed-use in residential neighborhoods The key step is revising “Home Occupation” provisions. We’re proposing replacing them with what we call “Home Business.”
Simplify Home Business Permitting Overview of Current Regulations A home occupation does not require Special Permit only if: – No clients or customers are seen on site – There is no sign for the business – There are no sales of goods from the premises – You don’t meet or work with other people in your house If home business activity doesn’t fit this narrow definition, then a Special Permit is required to allow a small sign, sale of goods from the home, or one other person to work with you
Simplify Home Business Permitting Goal Allow many types of home business by right, but minimize impacts on neighborhood Allow current illegal home businesses to operate legally Strategies Regulate auto traffic instead of clients and customers seen Don’t distinguish between types of visits (by client, employee, delivery person, contractor, etc.)
Simplify Home Business Permitting Proposed Home Businesses Changes Allowed Without Special Permit No more than 5 automobile round trips per day can be generated by the business A one square foot sign, attached to building and not lighted, is allowed Home made goods can be sold from the premises Up to two “open studios” to sell home made goods permitted per year Special Permit Required If the Home Business… Generates more than 5 automobile round trips per day Holds more than 2 open studio functions per year Stores materials outdoors (as long as not visible from street or adjacent properties)
Simplify Home Business Permitting Benefits for Sustainability Supports… Infill and uses existing structures for multiple purposes Entrepreneurship, and lowers barriers to small business Equity - applies to all kinds of work equally (professional services, home made goods, etc.) Reduces… Traffic and use of nonrenewable resources – Note: A recent report states that telecommuting opportunities have increased 400% in the last three years Cost of doing business in Northampton Regulations - fewer special permits required
Simplify Home Business Permitting We Need Your Feedback Does 5 automobile round trips per day seem reasonable? Should we allow any outdoor storage? What didn't we think of? Does the proposed zoning meet the goals of the Sustainability Plan?
Dimensional Standards in Urban Residential Zones What Are Dimensional Standards? Regulations that govern development, e.g. location of buildings on a lot – Standards are different for each zone and use – examples include minimum… – • Lot sizes • Setbacks, or distance between a building and the property line • Frontage, or length of property line along the street • Percentage open space What We Heard at Public Forum #1: – General support for infill development within walking distance of stores, offices, jobs, parks, bike paths, etc. Preference for small projects over big ones (i.e. filling gaps in the street, adding units to – existing houses and accessory buildings, converting large houses) – Design is important (covered later) – Traffic and infrastructure are concerns – Infill should not disproportionately affect one area of the city
Dimensional Standards in Urban Residential Zones What We Did: - Identified Dimensional Standards as key barrier to infill development in existing neighborhoods - Studied current neighborhood dimensions in depth - Researched innovative housing development types and zoning changes being made in other cities to allow for more innovative developments - Developed proposals for changing dimensional standards
Dimensional Standards in Urban Residential Zones Sustainability Benefits of Dimensional Standards Changes to Allow Infill Environment: More people live in walking distance to goods and services = less driving Economy: More residents to support nearby businesses, both existing and new – (and more businesses nearby will make neighborhoods even more walkable) Rental income for property owners More disposable income due to lower car expenses (more walking = less driving) Equity: More variety of in-town housing = more people can afford to live here Current regulations make in-town properties non-conforming*, placing extra burdens on in- town property owners *Non-Conforming refers to a property that is used or structures that are built in a way that is not permitted by the zoning for the property. The use is “grandfathered”, or permitted to continue, because the land was being used in such a fashion before the zoning law was passed.
Zoning Out Traditional Neighborhoods What percentage of homes in our urban neighborhoods do not conform to current minimum lot size zoning regulations?* URC - 63% of 1-3 family homes do not conform Takeaway: - 83% of 4 family homes do not conform - Zoning doesn’t match our existing URB neighborhoods - 32% of 1 family homes do not conform - 62% of 2 family homes do not conform - We have great - 82% of 3 family homes do not conform urban URA neighborhoods that - 35% of 1 family homes do not conform can never be built - 100% of 2 family and multiple-family homes do not again! conform (they are not allowed) *This analysis looked only at conformance with lot size requirements. An analysis of properties that also meet minimum setback, frontage and other requirements would yield even higher rates of non-conformance
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