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Planning office walks commissioners through planned districts, waivers and density checks
Summary
The planning office presented Part 2 of a Chapter 32 zoning‑ordinance overview covering planned business and mixed districts, waiver rules, FAR and unit‑mix checks, open‑space definitions, and how waivers are memorialized in proffers. Commissioners sought clarifications on open‑space calculations and density bands.
Alex Venegas of the planning office returned to present Part 2 of the Chapter 32 zoning‑ordinance overview, focusing on planned business (PBD) and planned mixed (PMD/PMR) districts and the criteria staff uses to evaluate large, mixed‑use applications.
Venegas walked commissioners through how the office evaluates applications: check underlying zoning district standards (height, floor‑area ratio, setbacks), verify open‑space and net FAR limits, and confirm the required housing unit mix (for example, applications between 10 and 75 acres must include at least two unit types). He emphasized that many of the ordinance provisions live in different places, requiring cross‑reference to sections such as 32‑280.11 (land bay designations) and the PMR housing‑mix rules in 32‑306.1.
Venegas used a hypothetical application to illustrate the process: land bays with differing FARs and open‑space requirements, and instances where an applicant seeking an FAR above an underlying district would need waivers or to rely on an overlay allowance. He reiterated that waivers and modifications should be memorialized in proffers and will be reviewed and recommended by staff agencies before the Board acts.
Commissioners asked for clarifications on open‑space definitions and calculations; Venegas pointed to the ordinance language that includes sidewalks, trails, lawns, and stormwater facilities as examples of open space and noted that the zoning‑text update will aim to resolve inconsistent terminology. Planning Director Tanya Washington confirmed stakeholders have raised similar definition and missing‑term issues during the zoning‑text update outreach.
The session closed with scheduling and process notes: staff said work sessions and drafts are still being updated as they meet with supervisors and that the commission will receive revised materials in advance of formal Board review.
