Subject:
Title
Code Create Vienna: Review and Discussion of Article 2 - Zones, Districts, and Dimensional Standards
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 31, 2023 conference session focus on a discussion of the topics covered in the draft of Article 2 - Zones, Districts, and Dimensional Standards.
A primary topic of discussion for this Conference Session is expected to be the development envelope along Maple Avenue, which includes a discussion of maximum heights, setbacks, and other factors.
A set of attachments are included as described in Attachment 1. In addition, staff has included 4 new attachments and 4 attachments that have been shared in previous conference sessions with Town Council. The new attachments include a presentation prepared by Board of Architectural Review member and architect Paul Layer, a discussion of the impacts of development, a presentation summary of that impact analysis, and an illustrative comparison of building heights.
These new attachments are numbered in the order in which they will be presented at the March 31 conference session.
The additional attachments that are being brought back for reference include the staff briefing materials from the Maple Avenue tour along with additional information Council requested after the tour, a memorandum on building heights, draft Article 2 on Zones, Districts and Dimensional Standards, and the current and proposed zoning map.
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 2.