Title
Ordinance Amending the Generalized Future Land Use Map of the Greensboro Connections 2025 Comprehensive Plan, Incorporated by Reference in The Greensboro Code Of Ordinances With Respect to Zoning, Planning And Development Chapter 30, Section 30-1-10 - College Hill Neighborhood Plan
Body
Department: Planning
Council District: 3
Public Hearing: March 17, 2015
Advertising Date/By: March 5 & 12, 2015/City Clerk
Contact 1 and Phone: Sue Schwartz, 373-2149
Contact 2 and Phone: Jeff Sovich, 433-7264
PURPOSE:
Conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of the College Hill Neighborhood Plan, and accompanying amendment of the Generalized Future Land Use Map (GFLUM) of the Connections 2025 Comprehensive Plan, as proposed for property located in the College Hill Neighborhood.
BACKGROUND:
The College Hill Neighborhood Plan is the result of a partnership between the College Hill Neighborhood Association and the City of Greensboro. This collaborative process has produced a shared vision for the neighborhood, with goals, strategies and actions identified in seven areas:
· Character
· Reinvestment
· Property Maintenance
· Commercial Opportunities
· Open Space
· Partnerships
· Property Use
The College Hill Neighborhood planning area is bounded generally by West Market Street, North Cedar Street, West McGee Street, South Spring Street, Freeman Mill Road, Norfolk Southern Railroad, Tate Street, Walker Avenue, and McIver Street.
The Planning Board conducted a public hearing on the proposed Plan at their January 21, 2015 meeting, and voted 7 to 0 to recommend in favor of the proposed College Hill Neighborhood Plan and accompanying amendments to the GFLUM. Board members commented that the revised Plan was a good compromise, and was much more favorable to the neighborhood, and inquired about communication strategies, increasing diversity in the neighborhood and methods for supporting relationships between landlords, renters and property owners. Public comments centered on several items, including continued needs for the City and universities in the neighborhood to address traffic and parking concerns.
If the plan is adopted, the Connections 2025 Comprehensive Plan for the area will be amended to include a more fine-grain future land use plan and the application of new categories, including:
· Industrial / Corporate Park: This designation applies to areas where present or anticipated uses include light industrial uses, such as manufacturing, assembly, and fabrication; wholesaling and distribution; and corporate office and technology parks, which may be introduced to replace older heavy industrial uses.
· Institutional: This designation includes public or private institutional development, including schools, government facilities, medical/health care facilities, and non-profit organizations.
· Mixed-Use Office: The Mixed Use Office category provides areas on the fringes of the neighborhood that allow for a creative mix of non-residential uses, including small to medium scale offices and professional services, with residential uses, including townhouses, condominiums, or a mix of office and residential uses within the same structure, thereby creating the potential for live-work units.
· Neighborhood Serving Commercial: This designation includes commercial development that provides goods or services, drawing clientele primarily from among the immediately surrounding residential areas. Such uses are readily accessible by pedestrians and bicyclists, generate minimal auto traffic, and attract few auto trips originating more than 1 mile away.
· Parks and Open Space: This future land use category applies to areas designated for active or passive recreational use, or for environmental protection, which are expected to remain as open space in perpetuity. Such areas include neighborhood parks, stream buffer easements, and public athletic fields.
· Residential, Multi-Family: This future land use category is intended to accommodate primarily multi-family residential development at a net density of not more than 18 units per acre. Where possible, creation of new informal apartment houses will be discouraged.
· Residential, Single-Family: This future land use category is intended to consist primarily of single-family detached dwellings, and other existing residential uses with compatible form, scale, character, and impacts, at an average density of 5 to 7 dwelling units per acre. Reconfiguration of existing informal apartment houses to be more appropriate in density, form, and character will be encouraged, where possible. Where possible, creation of new informal apartment houses will be discouraged. Twin homes are considered to be compatible with this future land use category. Places of worship and their ancillary uses are also considered to be compatible with this future land use category.
· Residential, Transitional: This future land use category is intended to encourage voluntary transition of existing development to residential uses more appropriate to its current zoning classification and/or to a site design and architectural configuration more appropriate to its context within a historic neighborhood.
BUDGET IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
The Planning Department recommends approval of the proposed College Hill Neighborhood Plan and accompanying amendments to the Generalized Future Land Use Map.