Subject:
Title
Code Create Vienna: Review and Discussion of Article 4B - Development Standards - Multi-Unit Attached Residential Uses
Body
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
The Town of Vienna is in the multi-year process of updating the Town’s codes and regulations with respect to subdivision and zoning, which are currently in Chapters 17 and 18 of the code. To assist in this process, the Town has retained a consultant team led by ZoneCo (formerly Calfee Zoning).
The project goal is to produce a set of updated, modern, and easy-to-use and administer zoning districts, particularly calibrated to the community’s desired development patterns and character. It will also include a modern list of uses and will enhance the quality of development and life for Vienna’s residents and businesses. The Town's last comprehensive update to the zoning code occurred over fifty years ago, in 1969, though a significant portion of the regulations date back to the 1956 zoning ordinance.
Staff from the Department of Planning and Zoning is managing this project, under the leadership from Town Council and the Planning Commission and with strong input from and collaboration with community stakeholders. The Town Council has communicated its goal of completing this update project during calendar year 2023.
More information can be found at www.codecreatevienna.com.
OVERVIEW:
Staff proposes that the March 27, 2023 conference session on Code Create focus on discussing the latest draft of Article 5 - Development Standards - Commercial, Industrial and Mixed-Use.
Based on feedback received on Article 5 as well as other articles, staff is proposing to divide the content of the previous Article 5 draft into two sections, and move one of the previous sections to Article 4. In previous drafts, Article 4 regulated development standards solely for single-unit detached residential development. Article 5 regulated all other uses. In keeping with the project goals to clarify and simplify the code, the latest draft proposes to reorganize Articles 4 and 5. Attachment 1 provides a more-detailed description of the reasoning for this recommendation and staff strongly recommends that the Town Council read that memorandum.
The summary of the proposed change, however, is that staff recommends that all residential-only development (including townhomes, duplexes, cottage courts and multi-unit) be together in Article 4; and other uses (commercial, industrial, mixed-use, public and institutional) be in Article 5.
The purpose of this conference session is to review and provide feedback on the updated draft Article 4B. Of course, the Town Council is welcome to raise any other issues or concerns for discussion.
The goal of this and all other conferences sessions to be held in the near future is for the Town Council to reach a point where it is prepared to refer the draft of the new Zoning Ordinance to the Planning Commission for its formal input, and to set dates formally for the public hearings that will be held jointly with the Planning Commission.
After the public hearings, the Town Council will have the opportunity to make any changes to the code, considering the input of both the public and the Planning Commission, before final adoption.
SUMMARY/STAFF IMPRESSIONS:
Staff looks forward to the discussion on areas of importance to the Town and to the Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
Department of Planning and Zoning staff recommends that Town Council provide input on the draft development standards in the draft Article 4B.