A NEW TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ZONING REGULATION FOR MERIDEN PRESENTATION TO Greater Meriden Chamber & Connecticut Bar Association 25 September 2013 Dominick J. Caruso, AICP Director of Planning & Development City of Meriden Michael A. Wang, AIA, LEED BD+C Principal Form + Place, Inc.
Community Character & the Plan of Conservation and Development Transit-oriented development Investment and redevelopment in the downtown Enhanced commercial corridors Preserve and protect the City s residential neighborhoods, natural resources. and historic / cultural resources Achieve balance through future development and regulatory control [ Incremental change ]
TOD MASTER-PLAN: Diagramming the Downtown MHA/Mill Street Colony Infill ITC STATION HUB Site Pratt Street Gateway Hanover/W. Main Factory H Area East-West Main Connection East of Pratt
TOD MASTER-PLAN: Goals & Implementation Strategies Leverage new high-speed rail service Intermodal Transportation Center + public / private partnership Encourage density and diversity of land uses Market Analysis: Origin with mixed-use, mixed-income development Invest in public infrastructure / amenities: Roadway network [2-way streets / Gateway Blvd.], HUB Park, Greenways Preserve and protect the City s assets while promoting Meriden as a pro-development community Targeted land acquisition, New regulatory framework
TOD MASTER-PLAN: Defining the TOD District PREVIOUS ZONING: [within 1/2-mile TOD District] C-1 Central Commercial C-4 Neighborh./Conven. Comm. C-1a Central Comm. Annex R-2 Two/Three Family Resid. R-3 Multiple Family Resid. R-4 Mult. Fam./Prof. Office M-2 Industrial M-3 Planned Industrial RDD Regional Dev. Dist. [N of 691] Overlay: CCDD Central Comm. Design Dist. Aquifer Protection Area
ANALYSIS of PREVIOUS ZONING CONSTRUCT Key Underlying Zones: C-1, R-4, M-3 - PERMITTED USES - Residential, Hotel, Retail, Mixed-use not allowed in M-3 - Mixed-use buildings allowed in R-4 and C-1 by Special Exception only - LOT and BULK REQUIREMENTS: DENSITY - R-4: 21 dwelling units per acre maximum - M-3: residential not permitted - PARKING REQUIREMENTS - Ratios: Residential = 2.0/D.U.; Retail & Office = 3.33/Ksf; Restaurant = 10.0/Ksf - Shared Parking requires Planning Commission approval - APPROVALS PROCESS - Site Plan required for all uses of land and buildings in C, M & RDD districts [Planning Commission hearing to obtain Certificate of Approval] - In CCDD: Design Review Board consulted for exteriors of structures - Changes in proposed use require Special Exception approval by Zoning Board of Appeals
Gateway Historic/ Commercial Park Civic Hanover TOD ZONING SUB-DISTRICTS
Bridgeport: Downtown Village Districts Gateway Historic/ Commercial WEST MAIN STREET Park Civic Hanover Primary Street Secondary Street TOD DISTRICT: STREET HIERARCHY
KEY GOALS OF TOD ZONING DISTRICT REGULATION: 1. PERMIT MIXED-USE Flexibility increased new TOD District replaces existing use regulations with a more form-based approach 2. INCENTIVIZE MIXED-INCOME RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT Redistribute public housing into mixed-income developments; Allow greater density and height for projects with a significant mixed-income component 3. ENSURE QUALITY DEVELOPMENT & PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT New development standards governing building form and siting [Building orientation, Site design, Ground floor transparency, Quality facades, etc.] 4. SPECIAL TOD PARKING REQUIREMENTS Relaxed minimum parking standards; Maximum spaces set to ensure quality pedestrian environment 5. ENCOURAGING ADAPTIVE REUSE Specific Development Standards for identified parcels 6. SIMPLIFY THE APPROVALS PROCESS Administrative review [Understandable, Predictable, Less risk and timely] Special Permit review
FORM BASED CODES DEFINITION: - A tool that places emphasis on Community Character and the role of development in defining a high-quality public realm. Building appearance and the physical alteration of land is more important than use [Traditional Zoning places emphasis on regulating use].
FORM BASED CODES STRUCTURE: - Regulating Plan: A map designating the locations where different building standards apply, based on community intentions regarding physical character [NOTE: Transect] - Public Space Standards: Specifies elements within the public realm - sidewalks, on-street parking, street trees, street furniture, etc. [NOTE: more applicable to new development] - Building Form Standards: Defines how buildings shape the public realm - configuration, placement, features, scale, etc. - Administration: Clearly defined application and project review process Great Pond Form Based Code, Windsor, CT OTHER COMMON COMPONENTS: Architectural Standards, Landscaping Standards, Signage Standards, Environmental Standards, Definitions
FORM BASED CODES ANNOTATION: - Text and illustrations explain the intent of specific code provisions Town of Hamden, CT Zoning Regulations Great Pond Form Based Code, Windsor, CT City of Dover, NH, Chapter 170 FBC regs.
HYBRID FORM BASED CODES MERIDEN TOD SNEAPA conference: Front-load regulatory discretion and approve administratively
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 1. TOD Zone Sub-districts: Applying unique development standards based on desired character of area 2. Use Regulations: Incentivize mixed-income residential; Promote Mixed-use development; Greater flexibility: Permitted uses / Limited uses / Special Permit uses 3. Development Standards and Guidelines: Site / Building Form / Signage - define how buildings shape the public realm - configuration, placement, features, scale, etc. 4. Adaptive Reuse: Foster the renovation and reuse of valued structures unique standards 5. Administration: Clearly defined application and project review process
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 1. TOD Zone Sub-districts: Applying unique development standards based on desired character of area
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 1. TOD Zone Sub-districts: Applying unique development standards based on desired character of area HISTORIC-COMMERCIAL SUB-DISTRICT CIVIC SUB-DISTRICT
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 2. Use Regulations: Incentivize mixed-income residential; Promote Mixed-use development; Greater flexibility: Permitted uses / Limited uses / Special Permit TOD MIXED-INCOME DWELLING - A building or portion thereof used and designed as a residence for three or more families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking in said building, including apartment houses, flats and townhouses, but not including hotels, motels or boarding houses. As a primary purpose of the TOD District is to provide for financially viable and socially stable mixed-income housing and to eliminate or minimize existing segregated housing patterns, not less than 66% percent of the dwellings in a TOD Mixed-income dwelling building must be market-rate units, meaning that they are not restricted as to their sales or rental pricing. Ten percent (10%) of the units in such a building must be affordable housing units..
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 3. Development Standards and Guidelines: Site / Building Form / Signage - define how buildings shape the public realm - configuration, placement, features, scale, etc. Garage Liner Diagram Parking Lot Access
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 3. Development Standards and Guidelines: Site / Building Form / Signage - define how buildings shape the public realm - configuration, placement, features, scale, etc. Façade Articulation Façade Transparency Signage Diagrams
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 4. Adaptive Reuse: Foster the renovation and reuse of valued structures unique standards.. structures that have significant historical, architectural or cultural value to the City. 1. Development Standards shall not apply - setbacks, coverage, frontage, height 2. No additional parking necessary 3. No additional loading 4. Residential density for small parcels can use calculation for 1/2-acre lot [Note: minimum unit sizes] 5. Mezzanines can be added per code 6. Facades that maintain architectural integrity are exempt from transparency requirements
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 5. Administration: Clearly defined application and project review process
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 5. Administration: Clearly defined application and project review process
APPROACH TO MERIDEN S TOD CODE 5. Administration: Clearly defined application and project review process
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