Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Udo Text Amendments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Burlington commission recommends updates to UDO, requires street trees for pocket neighborhoods
Summary
The Burlington Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval Feb. 23 of proposed Unified Development Ordinance text amendments (TA-126) that clarify setback footnotes, adjust accessory structure encroachment language, clarify density calculations for split-zone parcels, and add a required street-tree standard for ‘‘pocket neighborhoods.’'
The Burlington Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously Feb. 23 to recommend approval of text amendments to the City of Burlington Unified Development Ordinance (TA-126), forwarding the package to a March 2 City Council work session and a March 17 public hearing.
Staff said the package contains mostly clerical and clarifying edits to multiple nonresidential zoning tables (CBD, GB and NB footnotes) and accessory-structure language. The presentation described the substantive policy change that staff is proposing: a requirement that street trees be planted along streets, alleys, or shared driveways inside ‘‘pocket neighborhoods’’ (a housing form of smaller single-family lots clustered around shared common space). Street-tree standards will follow existing tree-selection rules (canopy trees unless overhead lines require understory species) and spacing standards will be applied consistently with chapter 5.53L.
Other changes described in the staff presentation include clarifying that side and rear setbacks are generally none unless an abutting building wall has a door or window (in which case a 5-foot setback applies), revising accessory-structure encroachment table language to remove a redundant clause referencing rear yards, and clarifying density calculation for split-zone parcels (calculate yield per piece, sum and round down). Staff also noted statutory developments affecting nonconforming signage standards and said UDO language needed updating to reflect guidance from the School of Government.
A commissioner moved to recommend approval, citing consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and the need to modernize and clarify the UDO. Roll-call votes recorded Chair James Kurpatre, Vice Chair Beasley, Member Mills, Member Stratini, Member Ray and Member Saunders (and other commissioners present) voting to recommend approval; staff confirmed the item will proceed to the March 2 work session and March 17 public hearing.
If City Council approves the amendments, the clarified setback rules and the pocket-neighborhood street-tree requirement will be incorporated into the UDO and applied to future development and permitting.
