[Vision2020] Zoning as per Downtown Plan

[David M. Budge]

Don't you know the definition of a "consultant"?   A consultant is 
someone who steals your watch then charges you to tell you what time it is.

db

Art Deco wrote:

> Kit,
>
> Thank you for posting this.
>
> It appears that $50,000 was spent mostly on boiler plate,  most of it 
> inane, some of it inapplicable.
>
> The city has been hosed.
>
> Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
> deco at moscow.com
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kit Craine" <kcraine at moscow.com>
> To: "MCA Board Members" <MCABoard at moscow.com>; "mcamembers" 
> <MCAMembers at moscow.com>; "2020 Vision" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 9:51 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Zoning as per Downtown Plan
>
>
>> Here’s the zoning section from the Downtown Plan, courtesy of Barbara 
>> Richardson Crouch.
>>
>> Kit Craine
>>
>>
>> Strategy 1: Revise Zoning Regulations
>>
>> If Downtown is to compete with other commercial districts locally or
>> regionally, we must focus on creating a mixed-use, year-round 
>> district. The
>> Moscow Zoning Bylaws for the downtown area are fairly well suited to 
>> meet
>> this goal.  However, certain sections can be revised to provide greater
>> flexibility needed to attract new investment, provides for a mix of 
>> uses and
>> opportunities that serve all residents and visitors, enhances Main 
>> Street’s
>> traditional civic and historic character, and re-enforce downtown as a
>> “place of necessity” in the community.
>>
>> A. Permitted Uses
>> The long-term viability of Downtown Moscow is dependant on the 
>> expansion and
>> flexibility of commercial, professional and residential uses.  A 
>> combination
>> of uses including retail, food and entertainment, professional services
>> (particularly medical with the presence of Gritman Medical Center in the
>> downtown), light industrial, recreational, cultural, and governmental 
>> must
>> be permitted if Main Street is to become a place of necessity for 
>> residents
>> and continue to be an attraction for visitors and prospective investors.
>> Well placed professional offices and residential uses (optimally on 
>> upper
>> floors and side streets) fill vacant/underutilized spaces, create
>> investment, establish year-round economy, provide built in security, and
>> reduce traffic (i.e. you can live, work, shop and eat all within walking
>> distance).  Only truly incompatible uses should be separated in a 
>> downtown
>> district.  Much of the potential for incompatible uses can be addressed
>> through performance standards and vertical separation, which would apply
>> additional requirements to ensure that conflicts between certain uses 
>> don’t
>> occur.
>>
>> B. Dimensional Standards
>> Main Street’s scale and layout is distinct from all other commercial
>> districts in the City. The zoning ordinance must ensure that: new
>> development is built with pedestrians in mind (close or up to the 
>> sidewalk
>> and adjacent buildings), no parking is allowed within the front-yard 
>> setback
>> but behind or on the side of the building. Landscaping and streetscape
>> amenities are provided (benches, hard surfaces, street trees, etc).
>> Sufficient height must be allowed by right to permit new investment 
>> and a
>> necessary mix of uses to create a year-round economy and reduce travel
>> needs.  The City should even consider minimum requirements for height 
>> (i.e.
>> two stories or 15 feet) and maximum setbacks (i.e. 10 feet) with 
>> provisions
>> for streetscape requirements aimed at improving the pedestrian 
>> environment.
>>
>> C. Outdoor Uses
>> Expanded outdoor uses are very important to attracting residents and
>> visitors to downtown.  Additional adjustments need to be made to 
>> existing
>> regulations permitting outdoor accessory retail, dining, venders,
>> entertainment, and other attractive uses along Main Street.
>>
>> D. Sidewalk Café Ordinance
>> Sidewalk café’s can generate new business and encourage additional
>> pedestrian traffic, discourage street crime, give identity and 
>> vitality to
>> downtown, serve as a special attraction and enhance the aesthetic 
>> value of
>> urban life. They must be carefully monitored and regulated to ensure
>> pedestrian access, sanitary conditions and that they are physically
>> attractive.
>>
>> E. Parking
>> Public parking is well-distributed throughout the downtown area.  
>> However,
>> the existing parking requirements should strengthen the opportunity for
>> shared parking in compatible situations (i.e. professional office and
>> residential). Also, the City should create a parking fund and revise the
>> existing permit program. We suggest defining the fund broadly, so 
>> that it
>> may be used for any purpose reasonably related to creating or 
>> reconfiguring
>> parking, closing or consolidating curb cuts, managing the supply of or
>> demand for parking spaces, new or improved pedestrian paths or 
>> amenities,
>> directional signage, and bicycle parking or public transit facilities.
>>
>> F. Incorporate Smart Growth Principals
>> The philosophy behind Smart Growth is to protect open spaces, 
>> efficiently
>> utilize local infrastructure and services, and invigorate existing
>> employment centers and neighborhoods. As applied to Downtown, it means
>> providing for a higher density of job and housing opportunities 
>> because of
>> the established mix of uses, availability of public transportation and
>> utilities, and other public and private amenities important to 
>> existing and
>> prospective residents.
>>
>> G. Create a Downtown Historic District
>> A Downtown Historic District would feature the building and places in
>> downtown that are so important to the development of the community.
>> Districts are often used as a promotional tool for visitors, and 
>> national
>> trends indicate that more people are visiting historic areas than ever
>> before.  The district would not place any additional restrictions on 
>> private
>> properties.  The only potential requirement is if the property owner is
>> using public funds to make renovations in which case a review of the 
>> project
>> would be necessary to ensure compliance with the Department of Interiors
>> standards for improvements to historic building.  In fact, property 
>> owners
>> would be eligible for certain historic preservation tax credits is
>> renovations are made according to these standards.
>>
>> H. Establish a Design Review Process for Key Areas
>> General standards to ensure that the scale, placement and orientation 
>> of the
>> building are consistent with the character of the district would help
>> maintain and enhance the vitality of Main Street.
>>
>> I. Ensure that the Development Review Process is Efficient
>> The Planning Department should work with applicants to encourage 
>> discussion
>> of projects even before an application is taken out, building 
>> guidelines are
>> available to explain the review process, that all departments input is
>> discussed early in the process, that the approval process is straight
>> forward and expeditious.
>>
>> J. Common Dumpster Ordinance
>> Allow shared dumpster facilities when possible and require dumpsters 
>> to be
>> locked at all times.  This helps do reduce offensive odors, scattered 
>> debris
>> and rubbish and possible health hazards.  Dumpsters should also be 
>> screen
>> from view.  Encouraging joint use or consolidation of use by block to 
>> cut
>> down on the overall number of dumpsters.  This is a particular 
>> problem on
>> the west side of Main Street in the public parking lot between the 
>> backs of
>> the Main Street buildings and Jackson Street.
>>
>>
>> _____________________________________________________
>> List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the 
>> communities of the Palouse since 1994.   http://www.fsr.net 
>> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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>>
>
> _____________________________________________________
> List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the 
> communities of the Palouse since 1994.                 
> http://www.fsr.net                                
> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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