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Carefree council directs staff to pursue town-center zoning overlay
Summary
The council unanimously voted to direct staff to amend the zoning-ordinance update contract to include a town-center overlay district; staff and a consultant said an overlay allows town-center-specific standards (parking, patios, design) while preserving other commercial zoning, with estimated consultant costs of roughly $10,000–$25,000 and higher if objective design graphics are added.
The Carefree Town Council voted unanimously to direct staff to coordinate with Michael Baker International on a proposed amendment to the zoning-ordinance update contract to create a town-center zoning overlay district.
Stacy Bridge Dunsack, the town's community development director and zoning administrator, told the council the overlay would translate the town's long-term vision for the town center into regulatory standards tailored to that area. "Developing a town center zoning overlay district also translates that vision into an established, policy doc ... that will guide future new development and redevelopment," she said. The staff recommendation was to pursue the overlay as a way to provide clearer expectations for property owners and developers while keeping the town's overall zoning code intact.
A consultant who presented the options said the overlay approach lets the town keep existing commercial zoning for other areas while creating more specific rules for the town center — for example, how outdoor patio seating and noise are treated there versus elsewhere in town. He cautioned that objective design guidelines are required by recent state law to be enforceable and that adding detailed graphics and model imagery increases consultant costs. The memorandum included preliminary cost ranges of roughly $10,000–$25,000 for a separate overlay effort, with higher amounts if objective design guidelines and illustrative graphics are added.
Council members asked about enforcement, parking for a compact two-block center, and potential legal exposure under so-called Prop 207 (takings/compensation). The consultant said enforcement approaches are set by the town and that early, targeted engagement with property owners and business owners is important to manage expectations and identify trade-offs. The motion directing staff to pursue the contract amendment passed with a unanimous vote.
