The Planning Director shall provide a recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commission for its review. The Director’s recommendation shall be transmitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission in the form of a staff report prior to a scheduled public hearing. The recommendation shall include the following: an evaluation of the consistency and conformance of the proposed amendment with the goals and policies of the General Plan and any applicable specific plans; the grounds for the recommendation based on the standards and purposes of the zones set forth in Section 10-40.20 (Establishment of Zones) of the Zoning Code; and a recommendation on whether the amendment should be granted or denied.
A Zoning Code Text Amendment shall be evaluated based on the following findings:
A. Finding #1: The proposed amendment is consistent with and conforms to the objectives and policies of the General Plan and any applicable specific plan;
The following goals and policies support the proposed amendment:
Policy E&C.2.1. Encourage the reduction of all energy and material consumption.
Policy E&C.2.3. Review and revise existing regulations, standards, and plans (codes, ordinances, etc.) to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions.
Policy OS.1.5. Integrate open space qualities into the built environment.
Policy E.1.6. Develop land use regulations promoting land use patterns that increase energy efficiency.
Policy CC.1.6. Encourage cluster development to preserve open space, viewsheds, and scenic vistas.
Policy CC.3.1. Encourage neighborhood design to be respectful of traditional development patterns and enhance the overall community image.
Policy LU.1.6. Establish greater flexibility in development standards and processes to assist developers in overcoming challenges posed by redevelopment and infill sites.
Policy LU.1.7. Consider creative policy and planning tools (such as transfer of develop rights or transfer of development obligations) as a means to incentivize redevelopment and infill.
Policy LU.2.1. Design new neighborhoods that embody the characteristics of Flagstaff’s favorite neighborhoods – that is, with a mix of uses, a variety of housing types and densities, public spaces, and greater connectivity with multimodal transportation options.
Policy LU.5.4. Encourage development to be clustered in appropriate locations as a means of preserving natural resources and open space, and to minimize service and utility costs, with such tools as Transfer of Development Rights (TDR).
Policy LU.6.1. Consider a variety of housing types and employment options when planning new development and redevelopment projects.
Policy T.1.6. Provide and promote strategies that increase alternate modes of travel and demand for vehicular travel to reduce peak period traffic.
Policy T.4.1. Promote context sensitive solutions (CSS) supportive of planned land uses, integration of related infrastructure needs, and desired community character elements in all transportation investments.
The proposed design elements were developed directly from the goals and policies in the Regional Plan.This amendment is intended to simplify and make the PRD standards more flexible and useable in appropriate settings.
B. Finding #2 The proposed amendment will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City;
The amendment provisions are not anticipated to be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City. The proposed amendment is intended to simplify the Planned Residential Development standards, provide greater flexibility in the development of subdivisions, and reduce potential conflicts in non-transect zones.
C. Finding #3 The proposed amendment is internally consistent with other applicable provisions of this Zoning Code.
The amendment is internally consistent, utilizes the existing format, and does not conflict with other Zoning Code provisions. It maintains the Zoning Code’s purpose as a comprehensive contemporary set of land uses and requirements that are straightforward, usable, and easily understood. |