Title
Ordinance - Public Hearing and First and Final Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 155 of the Mansfield Code of Ordinance, “Zoning”, to Create a New Section 155.057, “Neighborhood Design Standards” and Related Development Regulations (OA#23-008)
Justification
The City Council met on December 11, 2023, and tabled action on the requested creation of a new Section 155.057, “Neighborhood Design Standards” to allow the Department of Planning and Development Services to incorporate additional edits based on their direction and guidance.
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on October 16, 2023, and voted 5 to 0 (with two absences) to table their review and consideration of the proposed text amendment until their next meeting on November 6, 2023.
Vote:
Ayes: 5 - Mainer, Axen, Bennett, Moses, and Thompson
Nays: 0
Absent: 2 - Goodwin and Shaw
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on November 6, 2023, and voted 7 to 0 to recommend approval of the proposed text amendment.
Vote:
Ayes: 7 - Mainer, Axen, Bennett, Goodwin, Moses, Shaw, and Thompson
Nays: 0
Absent: 0
The Department of Planning and Development Services recommends that the City Council approve the text amendment as proposed, edited, and presented.
Description/History
This is a request to amend the provisions of Chapter 155, entitled “Zoning” of the City of Mansfield Code of Ordinances to introduce a parallel set of context based zoning standards --- Neighborhood Design Standards --- in a new Section 155.057. As proposed, the Neighborhood Design Standards would allow for more compact, mixed-use, and traditional forms of urbanism to occur and flourish within the OP, Office Park District; the C-1, Neighborhood Business District; the C-2, Community Business District; and the C-3, Commercial-Manufacturing District by-right.
Recent amendments to State Law (i.e., Senate Bill No. 929) concerning non-conforming uses and structures --- and the implications from those amendments on the fiscal health and sustainability of Mansfield --- prompted the Department of Planning and Development Services to think creatively and innovatively about amendments to support complete neighborhoods.
As such, the Neighborhood Design Standards are intended to provide a parallel option for owners and developers to design and build in a more traditional way. Further, the Neighborhood Design Standards builds on the growing momentum from Mansfield 2040 Plan and the pivot in direction for development and redevelopment that grow the tax base, elevates the quality of life, and affirms Mansfield as a model and premier community within the region for growth and prosperity.
The provisions --- as proposed --- promote the following:
• The ability to apply the provisions of this proposed Section 155.057 as a matter of right;
• The ability deviate from certain standards related to maximum travel lane widths of thoroughfares, the maximum building area, the minimum and maximum building height, and the requirement that all proposals on two (2) or more acres of land allocate at least 50 percent of the total building area to commercial use;
• Introducing residential options in the forms of accessory dwelling units, flats (only to be permitted as an accessory use to a mixed-use building with commercial uses on the first story), manor houses, and row houses;
• Introducing dooryard, stoop, shopfront, and gallery building frontages to properties developing under its provisions to activate the public realm;
• Encouraging neighborhood-oriented uses that are compatible and complementary to each other;
• Requiring buildings to be a minimum of two (2) stories and a maximum of four (4) stories in height;
• Establishing a maximum front building setback of 20 feet (with allowances for utilities and other easements);
• Limiting building footprints to a maximum of 10,000 square feet, with the exception of grocery stores which may be a maximum of 45,000 square feet; and
• Architectural and urban design considerations that are derived from the D, Downtown District and the S, South Mansfield Form-based Development District.
These standards are intended to expedite the development review and approval process while providing an innovative and well-informed set of standards that address existing deficiencies and missed opportunities within the existing Mansfield Zoning Ordinance and offering owners and developers the potential to build mixed-use --- complete neighborhoods --- as a matter of right.
Based on additional direction and guidance provided by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the proposed regulations also support activated rooftops (i.e., food service establishments), activated outdoor seating and dining areas, and considerable reductions in required parking by providing a maximum number of parking spaces that may be provided and the ability to leverage a parking study commissioned by the owner or the developer to provide a parking study for additional parking considerations.
Finally, the edits address the additional direction and guidance provided by the City Council on December 11, 2023. In particular, the edits introduce cottage courts and detached single-family residential uses; provide standards for public lighting design; require that any request to leverage the Neighborhood Design Standards in conjunction with an approved PD, Planned Development District receive a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval by the City Council; and address height restrictions for principal buildings in adjacency to existing detached single-family residences.
Prepared By
Jordon Drumgoole
Planning and Development Services Analyst
817-276-4229