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Discussion of Scope of Services to Reorganize and Update Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances
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OVERVIEW:
This is a discussion of the draft scope of services for a land use planning consulting firm or team to reorganize and update of the Town's subdivision and zoning ordinances, Chapters 17 and 18 of the Town Code. As background, the Town of Vienna's last major zoning code changes occurred in 1969; a significant portion of the zoning code includes regulations that date back to the 1956 zoning ordinance.
The implementation of the Church Street Vision C-1B Pedestrian Commercial Zone (1999) and Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) Zone (2014) has provided developer incentives for revitalization in those areas of Town. However, much of the zoning code is still outdated and cumbersome. This results in uncertainty for citizens, elected officials, and the development community.
The goal of the project is to reorganize the subdivision and zoning ordinances so the regulations are logically organized and easy to understand through the use of plain language, charts, tables, and illustrations. In addition, the subdivision and zoning ordinances should be updated so they are in compliance with State statutes, recent Supreme Court decisions with regards to sign regulations, and consistent with the Town's Comprehensive Plan (adopted May 23, 2016). Another goal of the update is to address areas where the Code is silent and zoning determinations have been made over the years by the Town's zoning administrator, or where regulations are currently lacking, e.g., parking requirements for all permitted uses.
Across the country and locally, communities are undertaking the major effort to update zoning codes from the 1950s and 60s. In 2017, Fairfax County launched a major initiative to modernize its zoning ordinance, dubbed "zMOD." The City of Fairfax adopted new subdivision and zoning ordinances in 2016, while the Town of Leesburg revised its zoning ordinance in 2...
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