From
Chris Hartmann
Title
Review first draft of Downtown (GPDT) zoning regulations
Presenter
David P. Jones, AICP, Chief City Planner
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
On May 7, 2019, City Council adopted the Downtown Master Plan. This plan establishes the vision for downtown as an engaging, walkable, and livable place with a broad and attainable mix of housing options, niche destination restaurants and retail, and quality hangout places.
Zoning is one of the tools the City can use to implement this vision. However, the zoning standards in place need to be revised to function as an effective tool. Downtown zoning should address the following elements:
Urban Form - Buildings should be placed close to the street in the downtown core to create a consistent street edge;
Pedestrian Environment - Building design and streetscape elements should create an interesting and comfortable walk for pedestrians;
Mix of Uses - Zoning should create conditions to achieve a mixture of uses that generate foot traffic throughout the day as well as a nighttime population; and
Strategic Parking - Parking standards should avoid superfluous parking and large surface parking lots that interrupt the streetscape while prioritizing shared parking and use of public parking areas.
Recommendations presented at April 8th CCDC (Addressed in draft regulations attached as Exhibit A)
1. Create mandatory site design standards that reflect downtown character zones. These standards should include minimum building setbacks, parking location, building form, land use, streetscape, and public realm standards while focusing on pedestrian-oriented design (establishes four zones reflecting different character and building form in Downtown: Approach Corridor, Transition Zone, Civic Core, Downtown Core under the GPDT, Grand Prairie Downtown District designator).
2. Streamline the development review process to reduce the time it takes for approval and make the outcome more predictable (Developments that occur within this framework would go through administrative approval process unless a Specific Use Permit is required).
3. Align the CA and CBD2 district boundaries and consolidate downtown requirements into a single Appendix so that all applicable requirements are in one place (These standards would replace the CBD 2 standards and the initial phase of rezoning would affect only those properties currently zoned CA, City Hall, and neighboring properties along NW 2nd and NW 4th Streets as indicated on Exhibit B).
4. Make the Mixed Residential (MR) and Mixed Use (MU) designations more flexible and market-driven (This is addressed through an emphasis on building form rather than use mix. Within downtown, both residential and commercial uses would be allowed.)
5. Evaluate which multi-family standards are appropriate for a downtown urban-style multi-family development such as density, unit mix, unit size, amenities, and gates/security. Adjust these standards accordingly. (Multi-family development will be required to be built to the street or facing the street with a shallow setback. Height restrictions, setbacks, and off-street parking requirements will be used to regulate density.)
6. Explore opportunities to allow for medium-density residential uses such as townhomes, four-plexes, rental and fee simple units to complement existing housing types on the fringes of the CBD. (While these are generally not desirable along Main or Jefferson or within the Downtown Core, they would be allowed within transition zones.)
7. Staff also intends to examine the use charts to determine if there are currently some uses which are permitted downtown but inconsistent with the downtown vision (heavy commercial uses) or if there are currently some uses which are not permitted downtown that may be consistent with the downtown vision.
Of the currently allowed uses downtown, staff recommends the following:
a. That Drive-Thru Restaurants be restricted to the number that are currently operating in downtown, with any new locations requiring an SUP; drive-thru restaurants would be prohibited within the Downtown Core.
b. That Variety Stores be allowed only by SUP.
c. That Large Retail with Gas Sales not be allowed in downtown.
d. That up to two Tattoo Parlors be allowed by SUP only.
e. That plant nursery not be allowed in downtown due to their auto-oriented nature.
f. That auction (non-auto) not be allowed in downtown.
g. That convenience store with gas sales not be allowed in downtown.
h. That bank drive thru be limited only to two locations by SUP only.
i. That emergency care clinic be limited to SUP only.
Of the uses not currently allowed, staff proposes to add SF-Townhouse, 3 & 4 family dwellings, and Accessory Dwelling Units (SF and Duplex only).