CR Zones ZTA

2nd Discussion of Zoning Text

Amendment to Add the CRN and CRT
Zones to Division 59-C-15

Item #9 January 13, 2011

Background: 11 Months of Conversation
 Discussions since PHED  Issues
worksession on Kensington • Parking flexibility
zoning
• Reduced benefits for
 Integration of certain areas
“transitional” area issues
• New benefits for small
during Board’s
lots/low densities
worksessions on Wheaton
• Appropriate uses for
 Incorporation of Takoma
contexts
Park concerns on
revitalization  Opportunities
 Review of sketch plans in • Clarifications of provisions
White Flint • Modifications based on
 Pre-Application meetings “lessons learned”
regarding GSSC properties.
 ZTA Steps

 Part 1: Introduction
• Jan 6th & 13th: Board Discussion
• Late Jan: Council Introduction
 Part 2: Recommendation
• Jan/Feb: Continued Staff Examination
 Stakeholder Meetings
 Research, Mapping, Modeling
 Staff Recommendation
• Mid-Feb: Board Hearing
• Mar: Council Hearing
• Mar-Apr: Committee Worksessions
• April: Council Action
 Big Issues & Competing Priorities
 Uses
 Site Plan
 Standard Method/Optional Method Thresholds
 Policy/Process
 Uses
 Uses of particular concern: comparison of “edge” zones:

Use C-T C-1 CBD0.5 CRN

Farm & Country Markets Not as “farm products, sale Not as “farm products, sale Not listed L
of” of”
Seasonal Outdoor Sales Not as “Christmas trees, sale Not as “Christmas trees, sale Not listed L
of between 12/5 and 12/25” of between 12/5 and 12/25”
Auto Repairs & Service - P SE/P L
Auto Sales, indoors - - - L
Auto Sales, outdoors - - - L
Eating & Drinking Establishments SE P P L
Hotels & Motels - - - L

Personal Living Quarters - P/SE (over 50 units) P/SE (over 50 units) P

Retail Trades ≤ 5,000 SE (as individually listed) P (as individually listed) P P

Retail Trades ≤ 15,000 SE P (as individually listed) P L
Rooftop Mounted Antennas P P P P
 Uses
 Are Compatibility & Flexibility Mutually Exclusive?
• Site Plan Required?
 CR: Required for any use on property adjacent or confronting
residential
 CT: Required for any use
 C-1: Not required
 CBD0.5: Required for optional method (above 25 units or 1.0 FAR)
• CR: Master Plan Conformance
• CR: Limited Use Buffer
 100’ for structures, parking, access
 Planted and screened
• CR: Drive-Through Service
 Differentiated only for eating/drinking uses in most zones
 Restricted in all cases in CR
 Compatibility
 Ensuring Compatibility or Requiring Onerous Process?
• Balance sought based on impacts: site plan required when
 Adjacent/confronting residential
 > 10,000sf or 10 units
 > 40’ in height
• Trade-off for higher standard method
 Benefits & sketch plan not required
 MP conformance and public review is required by site plan
 Design guidelines must be addressed
Standard/Optional Method Thresholds
 Public benefits versus revitalization?
• Balance sought based on the lowest amount of density that
ensures flexibility and economic viability
• Reliance on site plan review & CR standards and requirements
 MP conformance
 Building/parking placement & design
 Public use space, landscape, & lighting
 SWM & environmental requirements
 Standard/Optional Method Thresholds
 Proposed standard method thresholds:
• 1.5 max density
• 65’ max height
 Standard method density/height for CRT & CR = CRN max ranges
 Raise CRT max height to 150’

max 300’ height

max 150’ height

max 65’ height

 Standard/Optional Method Thresholds
 New Table for FAR & H Range (Section 59-C-15.121(a)):
Context Min/Max Min/Max Min/Max Density Min/Max Height
Total FAR C FAR R FAR Increment H (feet) Increment
(feet)
CRN 0.5/1.5 0.25/1.5 0.25/1.5 0.25 40/65 5
CRT 0.5/4.0 0.25/3.5 0.25/3.5 0.25 40/150 5
CR 0.5/8.0 0.25/7.5 0.25/7.5 0.25 40/300 5

 New Table for Standard Method Limits (Section 59-C-15.41(b)):

Context Maximum total Maximum
density (FAR) building height
(feet)
CRT 1.5 65
CR 1.5 65
 Policy/Process
 Policy/Process Questions:
• Is ZTA proceeding too fast without necessary public input?
• CR is untested so changes are based on ….?
• Can ZTA be discussed productively without maps of
proposed applications?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: Generally & 15.1
1. Generally fine-tune language, correct typos, and
make minor grammatical edits & provide two red-
lines
• Complete amendment of ordinance
• Changes from 1/7/10 clean version
2. Section 15.1. Zones Established
• Should “context designation” be replaced with
“classification”?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.2
1. Section 15.2. Descriptions and Objectives of the CR
Zones.
• Should there be separate description and objectives
subsections for CRN, CRT, CR?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.4
1. 15.41. Standard Method. & 15.42. Optional Method.
• When speaking of the zoning densities, heights, etc.
change all references from “project” to “property”
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.5
1. 15.5(c). Commercial Sales & Service.
• Permit vets w/boarding facilities in CR
2. 15.511(a). Adjacent residential & agricultural
restrictions/requirements.
• Provide a standard term with a definition instead of
repeating language
• Should adjacent and confronting residential zoning
references be “zoned and used for and not
recommended….”?
3. 15.512(b)(1). Limited use buffer.
• Hedge or wall and tree every 30’
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.61 & 15.63
1. 15.61. Master Plan and Design Guideline
Conformance.
• Should provision Include “unless the Board finds that
events have occurred to render the applicable plan
recommendation no longer appropriate”, similar to
subregs?
2. 15.63. Bike & Shower Change Facilities
• Bike space requirement is for multi-family unit use
• Shower/Change facility is for office use
• Should requirement be total spaces instead of public and
private?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.64
1. 15.64. Parking.
• 15.641: Parking Ratios.
– Ratios for retail/restaurant is on gfa – with no requirement
for outdoor patron area
– Consolidate CRN & CRT parking #s?
• 15.643(b), (c), and 15.644(d): change “must” to “should”
• 15.645: Should the requirement for internal pervious area
in surface parking lots retain the language ”comprising
individual areas of at least 100 square-feet each”?
• 15.646: Reinstate parking waiver language
• 15.646: Should parking waiver reference particular
considerations, such as “more safe and efficient”?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.7
1. 15.75. Residential Amenity Space.
• Does residential amenity space include balconies,
courtyards, etc?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.82 - 15.84
1. 15.82. Public Benefits Required.
• Reformat: (b) and (c) should become bullets under (a) and
separated by an “or”
2. 15.83(b). General Incentive Density Considerations.
• Provide title of public benefit guidelines when referenced
3. 15.84. CR Zone Incentive Density Implementation
Guidelines.
• Retain the provision that the guidelines “only address the
public benefits listed in Sections 59-C-15.82 through 59-
C015.88 and must not add a public benefit category”
(with updated section references)?
ZTA Language Recommendations &
Questions: 15.85
1. Generally
• Add “at least” to public benefits that set point “floors” instead
of point “ceilings”
2. 15.853(a). Neighborhood Services.
• Remove requirement that 4 of the 10 neighborhood services
“have a maximum retail bay floor area of 5,000 square feet”?
3. 15.853(b): Minimum Parking.
• Should more than 10 points be awarded for minimum parking,
since minimum tract area provision was removed?
4. 15.855(a). Historic Resource Protection.
• Add language: “historic resource individually or within a
district designated in the Master Plan for….”
5. 15.856(a)(2). BLTs.
• Separate BLT option for CR and CRT
 Recommendation
 Transmit zoning text amendment for introduction per staff
draft as modified by Board decisions on “ZTA Language
Recommendations Questions”