§ 8.1. Purpose.  


Latest version.
  • 8.1.1 The traditional neighborhood development ordinance serves to encourage developing as one project, tracts of land that are sufficiently large to allow a site design for a group of uses, as a mixed-use development, while maintaining compatibility with the surrounding area and creating an attractive, efficient and stable environment. It encourages a mixture of housing types, prominently sited civic or community buildings, and commercial or office/institutional workplaces to provide a balanced mix of activities and public spaces. To this end, a project must consist of more than one type of land use to be considered a traditional neighborhood development. The ordinance promotes flexibility in the application of development standards, best possible site planning and arrangement of land uses in a master development plan aimed at ensuring the conservation of the natural environment, more efficient use of land, and efficiency in the extension of streets and utilities. It is further the purpose of the traditional neighborhood development ordinance to take into account the following:

    a)

    Advances in technology and design, for example the use of pervious materials in the paving of parking lots, driveways, etc.

    b)

    Recognition and resolution of problems associated with sprawl developments, through, for example, the creation of a network of interconnecting, pedestrian oriented streets and other public spaces.

    c)

    A comprehensive development equal to or better than that resulting from typical lot-by-lot land use development, in which the design of the overall site permits increased freedom in the placement and uses of buildings and the location of open spaces, circulation facilities, off-street parking areas and other facilities.

    d)

    The conservation of sites characterized by special features of geography, topography, size or shape.

    e)

    The height and bulk characteristics of buildings can vary as long as the ratio of site area to buildings and openness of the project site will be in harmony with the area in which the proposed development is located.

(Ord. No. 2006-Z-004, 5-2-06)