Predictability, Neighborhood Character, And Historic Resources

Community & Character

Read through the recommendations collected through the audit process and select your top three priorities in each section - these should represent the actions that are most important to you or those you think would be the most impactful as we update our regulations.

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Improve the predictability and transparency of the development process

Predictability and Transparency

Predictability and Transparency
Establish clear, objective development standards that provide developers and the community with predictable and transparent development review processesEstablish and publish specific timelines for each type of development application with automatic escalation if deadlines are missed.Implement comprehensive online systems that allow applicants to track application status, view comments, and communicate with staff in real-time.Create standardized application checklists and requirements for each type of development application to ensure consistency and completeness.Establish regular communication schedules including status meetings, progress reports, and proactive notification of issues or delays.Implement a comprehensive digital platform for all applications including online submission, document management, and real-time status tracking.Create administrative approval processes for routine applications that meet clear, objective standards, reducing the need for discretionary review.Establish concurrent review procedures where multiple departments review applications simultaneously rather than sequentially.Clearly define roles and responsibilities for all departments involved in development review. Establish and publish clear timelines for each type of application with automatic escalation procedures if deadlines are not met.Develop clear standards for determining when rezonings are necessary to support the comprehensive plan and criteria for evaluating consistency.Clearly define roles and responsibilities for all departments involved in development review.
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Ensure that development is sensitive to existing community character

Community Character

Community Character
Conduct an assessment of existing neighborhood character adjacent to new development types including building types, lot patterns, and landscape characteristics.Develop design standards that require new development to respond to existing character while allowing for appropriate contemporary design.Create guidelines that address building scale and site design that contribute to neighborhood character.Provide flexibility mechanisms that allow innovative design approaches that meet the intent of character preservation while encouraging creativity.Develop comprehensive buffering and transition standards such as landscaping, setbacks, building design, and screening requirements tailored to specific adjacent uses and contexts.Establish specific buffer requirements for different land use combinations based on potential conflicts and compatibility issues.Create transition standards that provide graduated changes in development intensity rather than abrupt changes between different land uses.Allow performance-based alternatives to standard buffer requirements when applicants can demonstrate equivalent or superior buffering effectiveness.Establish clear requirements for buffer maintenance and management including responsibility assignments and enforcement procedures.Provide incentives for preserving existing mature vegetation in buffer areas and requirements for supplemental planting when existing vegetation is inadequate.Update landscaping standards to prioritize native and adapted plants that require less water and maintenance.Implement lighting standards that reduce light pollution, improve energy efficiency, and enhance safety through appropriate fixture selection and placement.Update parking standards to reflect current research on parking demand and support alternative transportation options, especially in walkable areas.Require integration of green infrastructure elements such as bioretention areas and permeable surfaces in parking and landscaping design in more intense development areas.Encourage EV-ready parking spaces and charging infrastructure in certain development types to support transportation electrification.Apply development standards as slope percentages increase, with the most restrictive standards on slopes over 25-30%.Prohibit development on ridgelines visible from public roads and require buildings to be located below ridgelines to preserve scenic views.Require preservation of existing mature vegetation and limit clearing to the minimum necessary for development and safety.Establish building height limits and placement requirements that prevent structures from breaking ridgelines when viewed from public areas.Identify and protect important public view corridors through development restrictions and design requirements.Establish minimum open space preservation requirements for new developments, depending on the intensity of development and environmental sensitivity.Require or incentivize clustering of development to preserve larger, more functional open space areas rather than scattered small areas.Create transfer of development rights program that allows property owners to sell development rights from environmentally sensitive areas to developers in growth areas.Establish requirements for long-term management and stewardship of preserved open space including funding mechanisms and maintenance standards.
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Conserve historic and cultural resources

History and Culture

History and Culture
Create detailed design guidelines that provide clear direction on appropriate preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and new construction approaches.Develop clear criteria for historic designations based on architectural, historical, and cultural significance with established procedures for nomination and review.Establish review procedures for proposed demolitions of historic properties that include evaluation of historical significance and preservation alternatives.Implement delay periods (typically 30-180 days) during which preservation alternatives can be explored and negotiated.Provide technical assistance to property owners on preservation alternatives including rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and relocation options.Include community involvement in demolition review to ensure public input on important preservation decisions.Provide regulatory flexibility for historic properties including alternative building code compliance and alternative compliance that facilitates preservation.Establish transfer of development rights programs that allow owners of historic properties to sell unused development rights to generate preservation funding.Provide expedited permitting processes for historic preservation projects to reduce regulatory costs and delays.
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Your Info

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