Title
Ordinance Amending the Future Land Use Map of the Greensboro Connections 2025 Future Land Use Plan for Property at 3522 and 3524 Lawndale Drive
Body
Department: Planning
Council District: 3
Public Hearing: Yes
Advertising Date/By: January 2 & 9, 2018/City Clerk
Contact 1 and Phone: Sue Schwartz, FAICP, 336-373-2149
Contact 2 and Phone: Hanna Cockburn, AICP, 336-574-3576
PURPOSE:
To conduct a public hearing and consider an amendment to the Generalized Future Land Use Map of Connections 2025, Greensboro’s Comprehensive Plan for property located at 3522 and 3524 Lawndale Drive.
BACKGROUND:
A request has been made to rezone property at 3522 and 3524 Lawndale Drive that is not consistent with the current Low Residential future land-use category. The requested rezoning requires an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan’s Generalized Future Land Use Map (GFLUM) to be approved.
The current and proposed land uses are:
Current:
Low Residential (3-5 dwelling units/acre): This category includes the City's predominantly single-family neighborhoods as well as other compatible housing types that can be accommodated within this density range. Although there are some existing residential areas in the City developed on lots greater than 1/3 acre, future residential developments and "conventional" subdivisions should generally maintain a gross density of no less than three dwellings per acre, except where environmental constraints (e.g., the Watershed Critical Area) prevent such densities from being achieved. Compact developments that include clustered, small lots with substantial retained open space are encouraged.
Proposed:
Mixed Use Commercial: This designation is intended to promote a mix of uses, of which various commercial uses remain predominant, but where residential, service, and other uses are complementary. Where applied to older highway corridors characterized by “strip” commercial uses, the intent is to encourage infill and redevelopment for a more diverse and attractive mix of uses over time. Examples include residential units over commercial uses or a wider array of economically viable uses to replace obsolete uses. Such areas also may represent opportunities for the introduction of substantial higher density and/or mixed-income housing, with negligible impacts on, or resistance from, nearby single-family neighborhoods. Ensuring that buildings are of the appropriate scale and intensity is critical, as is ensuring that sites are designed in a coordinated, as opposed to a lot-by-lot, manner. New “strip” commercial development is discouraged.
The Planning Board provided comment on the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment at their September 2017 meeting. Minutes of the September Planning Board are attached.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budget impact for this item.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff recommends approval of the requested Generalized Future Land Use Map Amendment.